EFCC arrests man with 849 ATM cards

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it has arrested one Yasir Salihu Abdullahi for attempting to leave the country with 849 Automated Teller Machine cards.

A statement yesterday by EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren said the commission has stepped up investigation to determine how Abdullahi came by a total of 849 ATM cards of various Nigerian banks.

He said the commission was also working to determine the reason the cards were being shipped out of the country.

Uwujaren said Abdullahi was arrested at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport on Friday August 3, 2017, as he prepared to board an Egypt Air heading for Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Abdullahi was said to have been intercepted after a scan of his luggage by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service revealed the suspicious items.

He said the officers then alerted the EFCC’s office in Kano.

Uwujaren said EFCC operatives discovered that he had: 490 Guaranty Trust Bank ATM cards, 287 ATM cards of Access Bank, 49 ATM cards of Eco Bank, 10 ATM cards of UBA, six ATM cards of Stanbic IBTC Bank, four ATM cards of Zenith Bank, one ATM card each of Sterling Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and First City Monument Bank.

He said another suspected fraudster, Ma Yongbin alias Suleiman Yunusa, a 46-yearold Chinese National was also arrested on August 3 by Aviation Security at the Kano Airport as he tried to board Egypt Air to China.

He was arrested at the Baggage checking point, where he was found to have in his possession the sum of N305, 000 (Three Hundred and Five Thousand Naira) in N5 denomination.

He was eventually handed over to the commission for further investigation.

EFCC said the two suspects have made useful statements, and they have also been granted administrative bail while investigations continue.