The Anambra State Police Command has initiated an investigation into a case involving an unidentified woman who allegedly stole an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card from a visually impaired widow and emptied her bank account of ₦2 million within minutes.
The incident occurred at an ATM point in Nnewi, Nnewi North Local Government Area, over the weekend.
The victim, a partially sighted woman, recounted that she sought assistance at the ATM due to her visual impairment. A woman in a red top and black trousers offered to help but swapped the victim’s ATM card with an expired one while obtaining her PIN. Shortly after, the widow began receiving debit alerts as the suspect withdrew ₦2 million in parts from her account.
A 42-second CCTV footage, which has since gone viral, captured the suspect executing the card swap and leaving the scene.
Speaking at the victim’s bank, an official warned against sharing PINs with strangers and advised individuals to seek assistance only from authorized bank personnel. The official added that the CCTV footage provides critical evidence, urging community members to help identify the suspect.
*”The culprit disguised as a helper, obtained the victim’s PIN, swapped the card, and swiftly withdrew money at another ATM location. Such acts are deeply wicked,”* the official remarked.
Anambra Police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident and stated that the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Itam, has ordered a thorough investigation.
*”The Command has intercepted the CCTV footage and calls on residents of Nnewi and surrounding areas to provide information that could help identify and apprehend the suspect,”* Ikenga said.
Preliminary findings suggest the suspect operated under the guise of assisting the victim. The police have assured the public of their commitment to using all intelligence-gathering tools to bring the suspect and her accomplices to justice.
