Wow! NDLEA arrests man with 108 ATM cards
A 34 year old man, Udeh Onuora Pascal suspected to be
working for an international criminal organization had been arrested by
officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for being
in possession of 108 automatic teller machine (ATM) debit cards.
He was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA)
Lagos while attempting to board a Qatar Airline flight to China. The
debit cards belong to five commercial banks.
NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Mr. Ahmadu Garba said that
suspect was arrested in connection with suspected money laundering and
was immediately transferred to the Assets and Financial Investigation
Directorate of the Agency for investigation.
Mrs. Victoria Egbase, the Director of Assets and Financial
Investigation said that the Agency had established a prima facie case of
financial crime against the suspect and that the Chairman had ordered
the transfer of the case to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) for further investigation.
The suspect in his statement said that he was asked to take the cards to China.
According to him, “I am not the owner of the cards. I was told to
take them to China and that somebody will collect them from me when I
get there. I have a shop where I sell clothes at Onitsha main market. I
am also a 300 level student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra
State studying History and International Relations. I never knew it
would lead to my arrest”. Udeh hails from Obibi in Orlu Local Government
Area of Imo State.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA Ahmadu Giade said that the case
should be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
for further investigation.
“This is a suspected money laundering case involving cash transfer
with debit cards. The EFCC will carry out further investigation on the
case. We must continue to work together as a united force against
criminal syndicates” Giade stated.