The Delta State Police Command has issued a strong warning to Point of Sale (PoS) operators, urging them to avoid facilitating large transactions, especially those exceeding N500,000.
According to the Command’s public relations officer, SP Bright Edafe, such transactions may be linked to criminal activities, which could lead to serious legal repercussions.
This warning came in the wake of an ongoing investigation into an unidentified PoS operator who received a suspicious N4 million deposit, believed to be ransom related to a kidnapping case.
In a video shared on his personal X account (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, SP Edafe presented the PoS operator’s account of her involvement. She revealed that a customer, Timothy Ogenechukwu, had previously conducted smaller transactions with her.
“He has been using my services for transactions of maybe N5,000 or N2,000,” she said.
However, she recounted how, on this occasion, Ogenechukwu transferred a staggering N4 million without offering any explanation for the sudden increase.
“He just called me that morning and asked me to check my account,” she recalled.
The operator insisted she had no idea that the funds were linked to a criminal act, maintaining that she believed it to be a standard transaction.
“I didn’t know,” she stated, stressing that she had no prior indication that the money was related to a ransom payment in a kidnapping case.
Despite her claims of ignorance, the operator acknowledged her profit from the transaction, which totaled N40,000.
“My profit is N40,000,” she disclosed during the interrogation.
SP Edafe pressed her further, asking if she understood the risks of allowing substantial sums to flow through her account. He indicated that the funds were traced back to a kidnapping victim, underscoring that her role in receiving and disbursing the money could render her complicit in the crime.
Edafe used this incident as a cautionary lesson for all PoS operators, advising them to reject any transactions over N500,000 and direct such clients to banks.
“I have been educating people on social media, especially PoS operators. Anyone wishing to conduct transactions above N500,000 should visit the bank,” Edafe warned.
He added, “If you encounter a PoS operator receiving unusually high amounts, be aware that there may be criminal elements involved, as these transactions should be handled at the bank.”
