By Austin Ogwuda
A female Point of Sale (POS) operator has been arrested in Delta State, Nigeria for allegedly facilitating the payment of N4m ransom to members of a kidnapping syndicate.
This was disclosed by the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bright Edafe, a Superintendent of Police SP in a press statement in Asaba on Thursday.
He has therefore admonished POS operators to be wary and desist from accepting any financial transaction above half a million naira (N500, 000).
Edafe did not disclose the location or name of the town or city where the arrested operator was picked up from over the said illicit financial transaction.
The statement reads:
“My message to POS operators is clear: any transaction above ₦500,000 can get you into serious trouble. Don’t be a tool for kidnappers to collect ransom, as such transactions must be traced back to you.
“There is a recent case in which a POS operator facilitated the transfer of ₦4 million to kidnappers, earning just ₦40,000 as her commission. She received ₦4m from kidnappers and her profit was just ₦40,000.
“Can you imagine? Be wise. You may argue that you are just doing business, but before your lawyer gets you out, you may spend some time cooling off in prison.
“This latest arrest highlights growing concerns over the role of financial networks, including POS operators, in facilitating ransom payments for kidnappings”, he cautioned.