The Borno State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of seven members of an ATM robbery syndicate in Maiduguri, the state’s capital.
The state’s Police Commissioner, Mr Abdu Umar, confirmed the development in an interview with NAN on Thursday.
According to the Commissioner, two of the suspects were arrested on February 22, after they swindled their victim, using her ATM card. He revealed that their confession led to the arrest of the others.
He named the two suspects as Usman Saidu and Mohammed Medugu both of Bulumkutu Ward in Maiduguri The others include Felix Haruna, Samson David, Saminu Shehu-Turaki, Mohammed Sani and Emma Audu.
The Commissioner of Police further revealed that the suspects belonged to a nine-man criminal syndicate.
He said that on February 17, Medugu and Saidu conspired with two others at large and robbed a victim, Fati Al-Fantami of her ATM card.
Umar said the suspects copied Al-Fantami’s PIN at a commercial bank in Bulumkutu when she was trying to make some withdrawals.
“When the transaction could not be completed, the customer then decided to return home. The culprits followed her and robbed her of the ATM card and then fled town .
“The suspects went to another ATM within the city and withdrew the sum of N65,000 from the victim’s account,’’
Umar said.