Police Arrests Men Who Stole POS Machines, Withdrew ₦4M To Play Bets

The Niger State Police Command said its operatives have nabbed two suspects over alleged POS machine fraud and the use of N463,000 stolen from the device to play Naija and Sporty bets.

The suspects were identified as Augustine Odiokwu Nonso, 28, of Bosso Estate area of Minna, and Ahmed Mohammed, 20, of Efu-Goro area of Mokwa, Mokwa Local Government.

The Niger State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, stated this in Minna and said the suspects were arrested following complaints lodged against them.

He explained that Augustine Odiokwu Nonso, who absconded with a POS machine and the sum of N170,000 to an unknown destination, was arrested on April 4, 2024, as a result of a direct complaint against him received at Bosso Division.

The police spokesperson stated: “Upon receipt of the complaint, police operatives attached to the division, with the aid of technical intelligence on April 20, arrested the suspect within Bosso Estate, he confessed to the crime and about $1170,000 was discovered to have been stolen by him.”.

“He claimed that he used the money to play Naijabet at different locations.”

He further disclosed that Ahmed Mohammed, arrested on May 5, 2024, was alleged to have stolen a POS machine from a shop at Kainji, Borgu LG, where he replaced it with a faulty one in his possession.

Abiodun said the arrest was based on a complaint received on May 4, 2024, at about 9 pm at the Mokwa Division that a POS machine was stolen at Kainji junction.

“Mohammed confessed that he went to the POS shop and stole the machine, while he replaced it with a faulty one in his possession.”

“He later withdrew N293,000 from the machine, having observed the attendant and copied the password. He also claimed that he used the money to play SportsBet,” he said.

The suspects, according to the police spokesperson, have been charged in court for prosecution.