Man Displayed in Delta Community for Alleged POS Fraud

Members of the Agbor Gha-Ihun Vigilante Group have paraded Chukwudi Utomi, a middle-aged individual, for his alleged participation in several Point-of-Sale (POS) fraud cases in the Agbor area of Delta State’s Ika South Local Government Area.

According to Ika Newspaper, Utomi, who is the father of three and works as a tipper driver, was arrested in the Ime-Obi section of Agbor on March 28, 2026.

Utomi, native to Oduga Quarters in the Akumazi Kingdom of Ika North East LGA, reportedly admitted to the allegations during an interview with journalists.

"I am pleading for forgiveness and asking for time to repay all the funds I have taken from the POS operators. I lost my job as a tipper driver, which led me to commit these thefts to care for my family," he stated following his capture.

Miss Joy Jacob, one of the victims, noted that Utomi had frequented her POS stand, enabling him to learn about her transaction processes.

She revealed that through repeated visits, Utomi had memorized her POS transaction PIN and exploited it to misappropriate her funds.

"Due to his regular patronage, he gained access to my POS transaction PIN and used it to take my money," she commented.

On the day of his arrest, Utomi allegedly transferred N50,000 from Jacob's account using her POS terminal.

"After he departed, I checked my transaction records and noticed a N50,000 transfer to an account named Mercy Utomi. I immediately informed the vigilante group, who took prompt action and apprehended him," she added.

Jacob further disclosed that an investigation revealed that approximately N250,000 had already been withdrawn from her account, with concerns that further losses could be uncovered with a thorough audit.

Another local POS operator, Miss Joy Ndidi, also accused Utomi of engaging in similar fraudulent activities.

Ndidi stated that she had been experiencing unexplained losses associated with the same Zenith Bank account registered under the name Mercy Utomi.

"I haven't been able to sleep properly due to the recurring fraud on my POS terminal," she lamented.

She mentioned that just a day before Utomi's arrest, he had allegedly executed another fraudulent transaction using her machine.

Cumulatively, Ndidi reported losses nearing N450,000 traced to that account.

She expressed frustration regarding attempts to remedy the situation through her banks, noting that she was informed she would need a court order to proceed.

"I approached Opay and Zenith Bank, but they told me I needed to obtain a court order first before any action could be taken," she said.

The affected POS operators have called upon security agencies and responsible authorities to assist in retrieving their stolen funds.

They conveyed hopes that the suspect's capture would curtail the ongoing fraud that has inflicted emotional and financial hardship on them.

Chief Sunday Ibude, the Chief Security Officer of the Agbor Gha-Ihun Vigilante Group, addressed the situation, asserting that criminal activities would not be tolerated in the community. He assured that the vigilante group remains alert and prepared to respond promptly to such offenses.

"There are no safe havens for criminals in Agbor and its surroundings. Our personnel are always on standby to take action whenever necessary," he remarked.