By Dennis Okechukwu
The Nigeria Police Force, through the National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC), has uncovered and dismantled a major cyber-enabled fraud syndicate responsible for the illegal diversion of a telecommunications company’s airtime and data resources, resulting in losses estimated at over ₦7.7 billion.
The discovery followed a petition by a Nigerian telecom operator, which alerted the police to suspicious and unauthorised activities within its billing and payment systems.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said investigations revealed that internal staff login credentials had been compromised, allowing the perpetrators unlawful access to core operational systems.
Hundeyin disclosed that after weeks of surveillance and planning, coordinated operations were carried out in October 2025 across Kano and Katsina states, with a follow-up arrest in the Federal Capital Territory.
Six suspects were arrested: Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad.
Items recovered include two residential houses in Kano, two mini-plazas, GSM and laptop retail outlets housing over 400 laptops and 1,000 mobile phones, as well as a Toyota RAV4 vehicle. Police also recovered substantial sums of money traced to the suspects’ bank accounts. All assets were described as proceeds of the crime.
The suspects are expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, commended the officers involved for their professionalism and dedication. He reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to protecting the country’s digital and financial systems and ensuring that cybercrime offenders are brought to justice, regardless of status or affiliation.