By Eric Moore
RIVERS State Police Command said it has arrested a suspect, Blessing Daberechi Oleru, over the swapping of an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) debit card.
State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police (SP ), in a statement issued on Tuesday, said the victim (name withheld), reported the incident on November 26, 2024, at the Olu-Obasanjo Police Station, after the suspect swapped his ATM card at a bank at the Garrison axis of Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Iringe-Koko, in the statement, disclosed that the victim attempted to withdraw cash from an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), but the machine malfunctioned.
She continued that, Oleru, who was standing nearby pretending to carry out a transaction, offered assistance, but instead swapped the victim’s debit card.
According to the PPRO, the victim left the ATM without realizing what had happened, but soon began to receive debit alerts totaling ₦523, 600.
The Command’s spokesperson said that following a coordinated intelligence operation, Police operatives arrested Oleru on February 5, 2025.
Iringe-Koko stated: “During interrogation, she confessed to the crime, and a Moniepoint POS machine was recovered from her possession. The investigation is ongoing, with efforts to apprehend other members of the syndicate.”
The PPRO added that the arrest demonstrates the Rivers State Police Command’s commitment to combating financial crimes and protecting citizens’ interests at all times.