'I Need Money For My Father's Burial'—Suspect Caught With 17 ATM Cards Blames The Devil

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Kelvin Odion, a 37-year-old suspected fraudster, has been arrested, SaharaReporters reports.

The man was nabbed by men of the Ogun State Police Command for illegal possession of 17 ATM cards.

Odion, who claimed to be an indigene of Edo State, was arrested on January 21 while visiting his brother in Ijebu-Ode.

The suspect was paraded alongside 49 others for various crimes at the police headquarters, Eleweran, on Wednesday.

The state Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, said the Igbeba Divisional Police Officer received a distress call informing him of an ATM fraudster's presence.

He said Odion had successfully swapped ATM cards and siphoned N40,000 and N55,000 from two victims, respectively, before he was caught.

Speaking to journalists, Odion, who blamed his action on the devil, said he went into crime while looking for money for his father's burial, Punch reports.

He said, "Four of the ATM cards are my own; my wife owns some too. I picked some of the ATM cards on the ground.

"I started last December when I lost my father. I was looking for money to bury him. My father died on December 15 and I started on December 20. I needed money for mortuary bills. I was only able to raise N95,000 out of N200,000.

"I am a businessman; I sell shoes in Lagos. I was caught when I came to visit my brother in Ijebu-Ode. I regret what I have done. It was the devil that pushed me."

Meanwhile, three herdsmen arrested in connection with the shooting of a woman, Morenikeji Salami, have denied responsibility for the attack.

Some herdsmen reportedly shot Salami on the Oru-Awa Road in the Ijebu-North Local Government Area of Ogun State last week.

The attackers, numbering about eight, reportedly emerged from the bush, removed one of her fingers and shattered her jaw with bullets.

While Salami was recuperating, the police arrested three suspects: Abubakar Buba, Ahamadu Saliyu and Saidu Idris, for their alleged involvement in the attack.

The suspects, however, said they knew nothing about it.

"I came back from where I was rearing my cows on Monday around 7pm when I was arrested in Idofe when I was asked to come and collect my phone battery I took for charging. I don't know about it," 20-year-old Buba said.

Saliyu said he was on a motorcycle when vigilantes arrested him.