FRAUD; Katsina Bank Staff Steals ₦18 Million From Customer Account

The Katsina State Police Command has paraded Adewumi Gabriel, the Head of ATM Operations at a new generation bank’s Daura branch, for his involvement in a scheme to steal N18 million from a customer’s account. According to TrackNews reporter, Gabriel, who was arrested on Thursday, admitted to conspiring with a colleague, David Mesioye, to execute the theft. Mesioye remains at large.

According to the police spokesperson, Mr. Abubakar Aliyu, the crime was uncovered during a routine audit, which revealed the missing funds. Gabriel explained that he and Mesioye, using their insider knowledge of the bank’s operations, had successfully siphoned the money from the customer’s account. As part of the investigation, police recovered several items from Gabriel, including N10.18 million from various bank accounts and N366,900 in physical cash, alongside other valuable items linked to the crime.

This incident highlights the risks associated with insider fraud, particularly in banking operations where employees possess privileged access to sensitive financial data. Gabriel’s role in the operation, as head of ATM operations, gave him the means to manipulate systems and divert funds from unsuspecting customers.

In a separate incident, the police also arrested Bishir Abdullahi, a 37-year-old resident of Sokoto State, at an old generation bank’s ATM in Katsina. Abdullahi was apprehended after being found in possession of 14 stolen ATM cards. He was reportedly using the cards to withdraw money from the accounts of the unsuspecting individuals to whom the cards had been issued.

Abdullahi’s suspicious activity was noticed by a police officer stationed at the bank’s branch in the Tudun Katsira area of Katsina metropolis. The officer, observing his actions, conducted an immediate search and discovered the stolen cards in Abdullahi’s possession. During questioning, the suspect admitted to using the stolen ATM cards to conduct fraudulent transactions and withdraw sums of money from his victims’ accounts.

Preliminary investigations indicate that Abdullahi had been active in swapping ATM cards at various machines, targeting individuals who were unaware that their cards had been exchanged for counterfeit or stolen ones. The police are now working to trace the victims and gather further evidence to fully understand the scope of Abdullahi’s operations.