The Yobe State Police Command has dismantled a criminal syndicate preying on Automated Teller Machine users across the state.
Three suspects—Sani Kasim (35), Nura Umaru (24), and Umar Suleman (22)—were apprehended by the State Intelligence Department on Friday.
According to a statement released on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, the suspects confessed to deceiving ATM users under the guise of offering assistance.
They reportedly used this ploy to gain access to victims’ PINs, swap their ATM cards, and withdraw funds from their accounts.
During the operation, police recovered 47 ATM cards, four mobile phones, and a Mercedes-Benz vehicle. Six victims, including a visually impaired individual who was defrauded of N181,550, have identified the suspects as their assailants.
The Yobe State Commissioner of Police, Garba Ahmed, commended the arrest and instructed detectives to intensify efforts to apprehend other members of the syndicate still at large.
He assured residents that the police remain committed to combating crime in the state.
“Yobe State will not serve as a haven for criminal activities,” Ahmed stated. He also urged the public to report suspicious activities and stay alert to avoid falling victim to such schemes.
