Angry Mob Beats ATM Card Syndicate To Coma
Stolen ATM card syndicate that has been operating successfully in several parts of Benin City, Edo State was on Wednesday caught in the law of nemesis around Okha 2 upper Sapele road in Benin City when his attempt to defraud a POS operator identified as Paul failed.
The suspect identified as Innocent Iyere, a 25 year old secondary school dropout, claimed to have hailed from Uromi in Esan community of Edo State when the angry mob descended on him with severe beaten including their attempt to set him ablaze when he was rescued by security personnel of vigilante.
Upon interrogation, the suspect further claimed to have been doing a menial job in what he said as ” Aproko” at the popular forestry road in Benin City for a well known Ibo trader in fairly used clothes when his inching palm refused to vacate his blood stream.
Inno as he is fondly called, had also alleged to have been working for a high profiled syndicate (name withheld) around ring road in Benin City when he was caught and handed over to the police who thereafter arraigned him in court and was subsequently reminded in prison custody in Oko maximum prison where he spent close a year before he was let off the hook.
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A food vendor who spoke to our Correspondent on condition of anonymity said “We have been facing serious challenges of daylight robbery especially by ATM stolen card syndicate, and in most cases, the syndicate swoop on POS operators they can easily manipulate and zoom into the thin air after defrauding them”
Also speaking to our Correspondent, Mr Paul, the POS operator who was lucky to have escaped the defrauding net of the syndicate said” The suspect came in commercial bike and requested for a withdrawal of N90,000 with Fidelity Bank ATM card clearly scratched.
When I noticed that, I refused to pay him when he insisted on paying any amount for withdrawal. During argument, I discovered the suspect was among those who robbed me at gunpoint sometimes last month and they made away with huge sums of money from me. I immediately screamed for help and the suspect was apprehended by onlookers who were anxious to catch a glimpse of ensuring mild drama”
Meanwhile, the police detectives at Ologbo Police Division near Benin City, have arrested fifteen suspected robbery syndicates who allegedly had killed a couple around March 2024 in the Community.
Reports said that the suspects were rounded up by the police detectives in their hideouts where they had disagreed among themselves over booty sharing formula inside the bush
The Police detectives were said to opened fire on the gang of suspects, unfortunately, many of them escaped and fifteen others were arrested on the spot.
Confirming the arrest of the robbery and ATM stolen card syndicates, the Police spokesman in Edo State, DSP Joann Yamu said that the suspects were taken to the Police headquarters where they are currently being detained for further investigation, adding that they will be charged to court completion of investigation.
DSP Joann Yamu however appealed to residents of Benin City, Edo State not to hesitate in giving out useful information to the police as it will no longer be business as usual for criminal activities in Edo State
