Police uncover N7.7bn telecoms cyber fraud, arrest six suspects

The Nigeria Police Force has uncovered a N7.7 billion cyber-enabled telecommunications fraud involving the illegal diversion of airtime and data resources, leading to the arrest of six suspects linked to the scheme.

The arrests followed an investigation by the National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC) after a telecommunications company petitioned the police over suspicious and unauthorised activities detected within its billing and payment systems.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, said investigations revealed that internal staff login credentials had been compromised, granting the syndicate unauthorised access to the company’s core infrastructure.

According to the police, the suspects exploited the security breach to illegally divert airtime and data resources, resulting in an estimated financial loss exceeding N7.7 billion.

Hundeyin disclosed that coordinated enforcement operations were conducted in October 2025 across Kano and Katsina states, with a follow-up arrest later carried out in the Federal Capital Territory.

He identified the suspects as Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu and Masa’ud Sa’ad.

Items recovered during the operations include two residential houses in Kano, two mini-plazas, several GSM and laptop retail outlets containing over 400 laptops and 1,000 mobile phones, as well as a Toyota RAV4 vehicle, all believed to be proceeds of the crime.

The police also traced and recovered substantial sums of money from the suspects’ bank accounts.

Hundeyin said the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, commended the officers involved for their professionalism and diligence in uncovering the sophisticated cybercrime network.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force, through the NPF–NCCC, to safeguarding Nigeria’s digital and financial ecosystems, dismantling cybercrime syndicates and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice, regardless of status or affiliation.