Police in Niger arrest two men who allegedly defrauded POS operators to play sports bet

In a crackdown on financial fraud, the Niger State Police Command has apprehended two individuals, Augustine Odiokwu Nonso (28) and Ahmed Mohammed (20), for allegedly defrauding Point of Sale (POS) operators of N463,000.

According to police reports, Nonso, a former POS operator, was arrested in Minna for absconding with a POS machine and an undisclosed amount of money. Further investigation revealed that he had stolen N170,000 and used the funds to finance his betting habit.

Meanwhile, Mohammed was arrested in Mokwa town, Mokwa Local Government Area, for stealing a POS machine and withdrawing N293,000. Like Nonso, he also allegedly used the stolen funds to fuel his betting addiction.

The Niger State Police Command’s spokesman, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the arrests, stating that the suspects’ actions have caused financial hardship for the affected POS operators.

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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 N170,000 was discovered to have been stolen by him.”.

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

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.

This development highlights the growing concern of financial fraud and betting addiction in Niger State, with the police vowing to crack down on such criminal activities. As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen if more suspects will be apprehended and brought to justice.

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