By Ogenyi Ogenyi,Uyo
The Police in Akwa Ibom has arrested a 29 year old man, Benjamin Patrick for allegedly using juju and arms to rob a woman of N4.2M in Uyo.
The suspect whose bank account and Point of Sale (POS) terminals were used to withdraw the stolen funds within a five-minute interval according to a Police statement endorsed by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Timfon John in Uyo yesterday was a member of a criminal syndicate still at large.
According to The statement, “sometime in November 2025, the Command received a petition dated 20th November 2025. According to the petition, the complainant stated that on 19th November 2025, while standing along Uruan Street, Uyo, to board a commercial vehicle, a saloon car stopped and invited her to enter. Unknown to her, the occupants of the vehicle were members of a criminal syndicate.
“After driving for some distance, the suspects diverted to a different route, produced a firearm, and forcefully robbed her of her ATM card. She was subsequently compelled at gunpoint to disclose her ATM Personal Identification Number (PIN). The suspects allegedly invoked juju, hypnotized the victim, and forcefully escorted her to her residence, where they ransacked her home and robbed her of ₦900,000 in physical cash.
*Further investigation revealed that the syndicate also withdrew an additional ₦3,300,000 from the victim’s bank account through her ATM card, transferring the funds into different bank accounts, bringing the total loss to ₦4.2 million.”The statement said.
It added that upon receipt of the report, operatives of the Command immediately swung into action leading to the arrest of the suspect.
“The victim positively identified the suspect as one of the individuals who conveyed her in the vehicle where she was robbed of her ATM card. The suspect is currently in custody.
“In the course of investigation, three (3) POS machines used in the illegal withdrawal of thwqycztae funds were recovered. Investigation is ongoing to uncover the full network, recover the stolen funds, and arrest other members of the syndicate.* It said.
The Command assured the public that it will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that all perpetrators involved in this heinous crime are brought to justice.
“The Command also uses this medium to warn criminal elements that Akwa Ibom State is not a safe haven for crime and urges members of the public to remain vigilant, avoid boarding suspicious vehicles, and promptly report suspicious activities to the Police.” It concluded.
