The Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have smashed job racketeer and ATM swap syndicates as well as armed and ‘one chance’ robbery gangs, just as 26 suspects have been arrested in connection with these crimes.
Addressing journalists at the command headquarters, Tuesday in Abuja, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the command, CP Bala Ciroma, said a member of the job racketeer gang, Egbunu Onuche, 25; was arrested on May 7, 2019, after allegedly collecting N200,000 from one Ijeoma Ebenje with a promise to secure her employment with the Nigeria Immigrations Service.
He said the suspect, who confessed to the crime during interrogation, claimed, his accomplice simple identified as Alhaji Musa, had promised to assist people seeking employment secure jobs in government establishments.
Onuche, who admitted taking money from the victim, also admitted that 16 other people paid him amounts ranging from N200,000 to N300, 000 for employment into the Nigeria Prisons Service and Nigeria Immigrations Service.
The Police boss also disclosed that Ernest Mensah, 23; Obiuwevbi Ogheneoveo, 23; and Urunmatsoma Hendrix, 21; were arrested on May 2, in connection with ATM swap, noting that report was received from Alhaji Usman Ahmadu of Gwarinpa, that on March 29, he went to an ATM to make withdrawal and the card got stock in the machine.
According to him, “On March 39, at about 01:30hrs he got a debit alert of N950,000 and subsequently block his account. Upon receipt of the complaint our detectives with the cooperation of bank official got the identity of the suspects.
“The suspects, who admitted to the from, stated that on that day the victim was not to withdraw at the ATM and was finding it difficult. He asked them for assistance in the process the swapped his card with a fake card.”
On how they got the victim’s pin, the police boss said the suspects confessed that the gang leader was standing directly behind the victim and since card the swiped was fake the victim entered the pun severally before the card with stock.
In a related development, Ciroma said the command also arrested two suspects for the production of local drink popularly known as monkey tail, on May 7, during a raid at Apo Mechanic village, Abuja.
He said that deliberate effort was being made by the command to checkmate activities of drug dealers and peddlers because it was fueling crimes among youths.
The commissioner said that the command also arrested four suspected drug dealers in Jikwoyi, Apo, Galadimawa and Gwagwalada areas of Abuja.
He said that the command also arrested suspected armed robbers, cell phone thieves, car thieves, hand bag snatchers among others, noting that all the suspects would be charged to court on completion of investigation.
The police boss, who reiterated the command’s appreciation of residents support, urged the public to always be security conscious and to report suspicious movements to the police promptly.
