BY SUNDAY SAMUEL—Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command attached to the Central Police Station (CPS) have rescued and rearrested two suspected fraudsters allegedly involved in ATM debit card swapping at a commercial bank along Okpara Avenue, Enugu.
The suspects, identified as Onyeka Timothy, 34, and Philip Chima Nwankwo, 32, were apprehended on May 11, 2026, at about 10:50 a.m., after they were allegedly caught defrauding a female bank customer.
According to preliminary investigations, the suspects allegedly swapped the victim’s ATM debit card while pretending to assist her with a transaction at the ATM point. The victim reportedly raised an alarm, which attracted an angry mob that descended on the suspects.
Police operatives swiftly intervened, rescued the suspects from being lynched, and subsequently rearrested them.
Items recovered from the suspects include a TVS tricycle allegedly used for the operation and the victim’s swapped ATM debit card. The suspects reportedly confessed to the crime and will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to combating financial and cyber-related crimes across the state.
He also cautioned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands, urging citizens to hand over suspects to the Police for proper investigation and prosecution.
