Two suspected ATM card swappers arrested in Enugu

Police in Enugu State say two men suspected of engaging in ATM debit card swapping and fraud have been arrested following an incident at a commercial bank in Enugu.

The suspects, identified as Onyeka Timothy, 34, and Philip Chima Nwankwo, 32, were arrested by operatives attached to the Central Police Station (CPS) on May 11, 2026, at about 10:50 a.m. along Okpara Avenue, Enugu.

The suspects were reportedly rescued from an angry mob after they were allegedly caught carrying out fraudulent activities at the ATM section of a commercial bank.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said preliminary investigations showed that the suspects allegedly swapped the ATM debit card of a female customer while pretending to assist her with a transaction.

According to him, the victim raised an alarm after discovering the alleged fraud, leading to the immediate apprehension and assault of the suspects by passersby before police operatives intervened.

“The victim reportedly raised the alarm, leading to the immediate arrest and lynching of the suspects by an angry mob before Police Operatives swiftly intervened, rescued, and rearrested them,” the statement said.

The police spokesperson added that a TVS tricycle allegedly used in carrying out the operation, as well as the victim’s swapped ATM debit card, were recovered from the suspects.

Ndukwe stated that the suspects had confessed to the crime and would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, reaffirmed the Command’s resolve to combat financial and cyber-related crimes in the state.

He also warned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands by attacking suspects.

“The Commissioner of Police urged citizens to desist from taking the law into their hands by assaulting suspects, but instead promptly hand them over to the Police for lawful investigation and prosecution,” the statement added.