1 month ago
Police in Adamawa State have apprehended two men suspected of operating an ATM card-swapping scheme, recovering 23 ATM cards in the process. The arrests were carried out by operatives from the Adamawa State Police Command's State Intelligence Department.
The suspects, identified as 50-year-old Yusuf Maika and 52-year-old Abubakar Mustapha, both residents of Jos in Plateau State, allegedly defrauded a victim, Yunusa Usman, of ₦400,000 at an Access Bank ATM gallery within Adamawa State.
In a statement, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje, disclosed that the apprehension occurred after the victim filed a complaint. This prompted a swift reaction from the bank's personnel on Monday, September 7, 2026.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects specialise in targeting ATM users experiencing network or transaction difficulties,” Nguroje explained.
According to the police spokesperson, the suspects would approach struggling users under the guise of offering help, watch them input their PINs, and secretly exchange the victim's card with a lookalike.
“The suspects would then use a mobile POS machine to withdraw or transfer funds from the victims’ accounts,” Nguroje added.
Law enforcement officers recovered several items from the suspects, including 23 ATM cards belonging to various individuals and issued by different financial institutions. They also seized a Moniepoint POS machine, which was reportedly used to debit the bank accounts of victims, alongside ₦400,0
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