The Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested a 34-year-old man, Akinola Tosin, for allegedly defrauding a Point-of-Sale (PoS) operator with a fake bank transfer alert while posing as a member of the Nigerian Army.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ayoola Michael, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, saying the suspect was arrested following a complaint lodged by a PoS operator in the state.
According to the statement, the suspect allegedly obtained N40,600 from the operator after presenting a fake debit alert as evidence of payment.
“The suspect was apprehended following a complaint that he defrauded a Point-of-Sale (POS) operator through the use of a fake bank transfer alert.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect collected the sum of N40,600 after presenting a fake debit alert to the POS operator, deceiving the victim into believing a successful transfer had been made,” Michael said.
The NSCDC spokesman added that investigations uncovered that the suspect had allegedly been impersonating military personnel to gain the trust of unsuspecting members of the public.
“Further investigations revealed that the suspect had been impersonating a member of the Nigerian Army using a fake military identity card bearing his name, alongside military-related paraphernalia, which he allegedly used to gain public trust and facilitate his criminal activities,” he said.
Items recovered from the suspect include eight ATM cards and a National Identity Card.
Michael further disclosed that the suspect allegedly confessed to previous fraudulent activities involving several victims during interrogation.
“The suspect also confessed to previous fraudulent activities involving multiple victims, while further investigation uncovered a suspected accomplice, identified as one Feranmi Idoko Godwin, who is currently at large.
“Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect and conclude investigations,” he added.
The Commandant of the Kwara State NSCDC Command, Abbas Mohammed, reiterated the Corps’ commitment to tackling criminal activities across the state and urged residents to remain vigilant.
“I urge members of the public to remain vigilant and verify electronic transactions before releasing cash, goods or other valuables,” Mohammed said.
The command also advised PoS operators, traders and business owners to always confirm electronic transfers through official banking channels before handing over cash or goods, warning that fraudsters are increasingly exploiting fake transaction alerts to deceive victims.
(The Whistler)
