UNICAL arrests 2 phone snatchers, recovers ATM card

The Internal Security Service of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Cross River State, has apprehended two suspected phone snatchers in the institution.

The UNICAL Acting Chief Security Officer, Retired Capt. Austin Bisong, who disclosed the arrest of the suspects on Thursday, May 11, said they were apprehended on Wednesday night.

Bisong said the suspected phone snatchers were into phone snatching on campus, adding that the ugly situation had become a source of concern to both students and staff members of the university.

He said a Redmi cell phone was recovered from the suspects, alongside an ATM card belonging to a victim.

Bisong further stated that the internal security service of UNICAL had recovered many phones in the past and handed them over to their rightful owners.

He said: “Just last night, somewhere around the Union Bank cash point on campus, a phone was snatched from a young girl.

“Shortly after the incident, we received a call and swung into action immediately, leading to the apprehension of one suspect, while the other suspect ran away with the phone to the university quarters.

“The other suspect who ran away is a stepson of a professor. We had to move straight to the quarters, smoke him out and bring him to our custody.

“Investigation is still ongoing, and we are going to hand them over to security agents for further interrogation and possible prosecution.”

Bisong further commended the UNICAL Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, for creating an enabling environment and for also equipping them with the necessary equipment to function optimally on campus.

He, however, enjoined students to always be cautious about their movements at night and call the security personnel whenever they suspected any suspicious movement around them.

The victim, Miraculous Udurume, said the phone was snatched at about 8 p.m. on Wednesday while on her way back from a church service on campus.

Udurume, who is not a student of UNICAL, said she was on her way home off campus after the church service when the suspects attacked her and snatched her phone.

She commended the university management for setting up a vibrant security outfit that responded promptly to her distress call.

The Star