The Katsina State Police Command has paraded before newsmen on Monday, one Aliyu Abdullahi 22, of Kasuwar Mata street in Funtua Local Government Area of the state for defrauding an unsuspecting old woman of her gratuity using her ATM card and eventually bought a car and motorcycle from the proceed.

The unrepentant ATM fraudster who specializes in defrauding unsuspecting members of the public by swapping their ATM cards was arrested for a similar crime sometimes back had since regained freedom to the bewilderment of those privy to his arrest and subsequent arraignment in court.

When quizzed on how he got freed, Aliyu said, “I was bailed by my lawyer after spending one month in prison.”

Aliyu, who has now returned to police custody again, confessed to having deceitfully swapped the ATM card of one Maryam Sale, of Sharar Pipes in Katsina metropolis, withdrawing her gratuity and lifetime savings, amounting to the sum of one million, eight hundred and forty-six thousand naira (N1,846,000).

In his confession, Aliyu said, “I was at the ATM to make a withdrawal when she came in Keke NAPEP and asked me to help her withdraw N10,000 from her account using her ATM. Before withdrawing the money, I checked her account balance and saw that there was good money inside. Immediately I withdrew the money for her, I swapped her ATM card with mine. After she left, I proceeded to a POS and started withdrawing the money. It took me three days to clear the money in the account completely.”

When interrogated on the whereabouts of the money, the fraudster said, “I bought a car, Henesy Accord for N500,000 and a brand new motorcycle for N350,000 from it and I spent the rest on other frivolities.”

In a related development, one Aminu Rabiu of Dandagoro, Batagarawa LGA also reported at the Central Police Station, Katsina that “on 10 January 2022, that “at about 1900hrs, he went to First Bank Katsina with intent to withdraw money on ATM Machine, in the process he asked for help and one person deceitfully swapped his ATM card with another and withdrew his money to the sum of one hundred and fifty-three naira (N153,000).” (Vanguard: Excludes headline)

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