NSCDC nabs man impersonating soldier over N40,600 PoS fraud in Kwara

The Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested a 34-year-old man, Akinola Tosin, for allegedly defrauding a Point-of-Sale (PoS) operator of N40,600 using a fake bank transfer alert, while also parading himself as a soldier.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Ayoola Michael, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, noting that the suspect was apprehended following a formal complaint by the affected PoS operator.

According to the statement, Tosin presented a counterfeit debit alert to the operator, falsely indicating that a transfer had been completed. Relying on the alert, the operator released cash to him. Preliminary investigations confirmed the fraudulent nature of the transaction.

Michael added that further inquiries revealed the suspect had been impersonating a member of the Nigerian Army, using a fake military identification card and other military-related items to earn public trust and aid his fraudulent activities.

Items recovered from Tosin include eight ATM cards and a National Identity Card. During interrogation, he reportedly confessed to having defrauded several other victims in the past. Investigators have also identified an accomplice, one Feranmi Idoko Godwin, who remains at large, with efforts ongoing to track him down.

The Kwara NSCDC Commandant, Abbas Mohammed, reaffirmed the corps’ resolve to fight crime in the state. He urged the public, especially PoS operators and traders, to always verify electronic transfers through official banking channels before releasing cash or goods, warning that fraudsters are increasingly exploiting fake transaction alerts.