A man, Akinrotimi Taiwo, believed to be a principal member of a syndicate specialised in stealing money from Point of Sale (POS) agents in Ilorin, Kwara State, has been arrested by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Taiwo was nabbed while attempting to defraud a POS agent, Zakariyau Amidu Oniyo, of Shop 32B on Omodada Street in the Okekere area of Ilọrin West LGA.
It was gathered that the suspect on Sunday walked up to Oniyo’s shop requesting him to transfer N20,000 to another POS agent, Omo Mummy Ventures, at Oko Olowo.
Before then, Taiwo, sources said, had approached the venture’s owner, Isiaka Abdulrazak, that he was expecting a transfer of the amount from which he would make a withdrawal and pay the charges.
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A civil defence operative said, “The suspect apparently didn’t want the fraudulent transaction traced to his account. “He wanted to make Abdulrazak the ‘fall guy’.”
He explained that luck ran out on the suspect after the money was transferred and that the N26,000 that was on Oniyo’s table disappeared after the suspect distracted him with a request to buy a phone battery.
Raising alarm, Oniyo got neighbours to arrest him and other POS agents sent information and pictures of the suspect alleging that he had been on the prowl duping several of them.
Speaking on the incident, the Coordinator, Kwara Association of Point of Sale Professional Agents (KAPPSA), Ridwan Opakunle, explained that, “We had been on his trail for a long time and have been warning our agents and members to be very careful of the suspect.
The NSCDC spokesman, Ayeni Olasunkomi, who confirmed the incident, said, “It is quite clear that it goes beyond this singular incident we have now. We will investigate and do the needful.”
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