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NPF nabs suspected syndicate stealing from BVN/Bank linked SIM cards

 

Upon intelligence received by the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 2 Command (AIG) Ari Mohammed Ali, over a syndicate of young Nigerians who specialize in stealing phones from members of the public and further transferring monies from their BVN/Bank linked SIM cards.

 

Following this report, the AIG detailed operatives of the Zonal Enquiry Bureau to discretely investigate and apprehend the syndicate.

 

This was contained in a statement issued by Hauwa Idris Adamu, Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, Zone 2 Command Headquarters Onikan Lagos.

 

According to the statement, “this led to the arrest of one Ogbonnaya Junior Duru who hailed from Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State, a Trailer Mechanic by profession who has his workshop along Trinity Area of Berger Cement, Apapa Lagos.

 

“Upon interrogation, he confessed to being introduced to the criminal act by his friend one Kareem who lives in Ajegunle Area of Apapa Lagos in the year 2019 and he has been in the business of criminality since then.

 

“While revealing his modus operandi, Ogbonnaya said while other members of the syndicate (Praise, Emmanuel and Osaron) whose areas of specialization is to steal mobile phones from members of the public either by pick-pocket, one-chance robbery and other means have stolen the phones, they bring the SIM cards to him, he finds out which bank(s) is/are the SIM cards linked to, check the account balance, reset the USSD pin and transfer funds from the owner’s account to accounts provided by a member of the syndicate (one Joshua ‘m’ a.k.a. ALERT) currently at Large who takes 20% of the proceed and returns 80% either in cash or transfer to Ogbonnaya who takes 40% of the proceed and delivers 40% to whoever brings the BVN/Bank linked SIM card.

 

“He further confessed that there are other suspects who consult him from Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States who later send him consultation fees and that the least he has transferred from an account is One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000:00) while the maximum he has transferred is One Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N1,400,000:00).

 

“He added that the said Joshua ‘m’ (popularly known as ALERT) operates many accounts with different banks and as such will make the funds available for sharing the same day” the statement concluded.

 

Members of the public are hereby advised to beware of these criminal elements in the society and ensure they secure their valuables very well while criminals are warned to relocate from Lagos and Ogun States which form the Zone 2 Command else the long arm of the law will catch up with them soonest.

 

By Ajibola Adedoye

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