By Otobong Gabriel, Abuja
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) – National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC) has successfully dismantled a sophisticated cyber-enabled fraud syndicate involved in telecom fraud worth N7.7 billion.
The investigation led to the arrest of six suspects: Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad.
CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Force Public Relations Officer, stated that the syndicate illegally diverted airtime and data resources from a major telecommunications company, causing losses estimated at over N7.7 billion.
He explained that the breakthrough came after a complaint by a Nigerian telecom company reporting unauthorized access and suspicious activities within its billing and payments system. Investigations revealed that internal staff login credentials had been compromised, allowing the criminals unlawful access to core company systems.
“Following weeks of meticulous planning, coordinated enforcement operations were conducted in October 2025 across Kano and Katsina States, with a follow-up arrest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),” CSP Hundeyin said.
During the operation, authorities recovered significant assets linked to the suspects, including:
Two residential houses in Kano
Two mini-plazas
GSM and laptop retail outlets with over 400 laptops and 1,000 mobile phones
A Toyota RAV4 vehicle
Substantial funds traced to the suspects’ bank accounts
All suspects are expected to face court charges upon completion of the ongoing investigation.
IGP Kayode Egbetokun, Inspector-General of Police, praised the NPF–NCCC officers for their professionalism and reiterated the police force’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s digital and financial infrastructure.
He emphasized that cybercriminals would be held accountable regardless of position or affiliation.
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