The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested six suspects in connection with an alleged telecommunications fraud scheme valued at over ₦7.7 billion, leading to the recovery of several properties, vehicles, cash, and electronic devices believed to be proceeds of crime.
The breakthrough was announced by the Force through the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) following an extensive investigation into unauthorized activities that reportedly targeted the systems of a major telecommunications company operating in Nigeria.
According to police authorities, the investigation was launched after the telecommunications provider submitted a formal complaint regarding suspicious transactions and unauthorized access to its billing and data management infrastructure.
Preliminary findings revealed that the suspects allegedly gained illegal access to the company’s systems by compromising staff login credentials and exploiting vulnerabilities within the network. Investigators said the breach enabled the syndicate to unlawfully divert airtime and data resources, resulting in estimated losses exceeding ₦7.7 billion.
The operation led to the arrest of six suspects identified as Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad. The arrests were carried out during coordinated raids in Kano State, Katsina State, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
During the operation, police recovered two residential houses, two mini-commercial plazas, GSM and laptop retail outlets containing more than 400 laptops and 1,000 mobile phones, as well as a Toyota RAV4 vehicle. Authorities also traced and recovered substantial sums of money from bank accounts linked to the suspects.
The police further disclosed that the affected telecommunications company was able to reverse approximately 2,931.79 terabytes of fraudulently acquired data valued at about ₦3.8 billion, significantly reducing the financial impact of the alleged fraud.
Speaking on the development, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, commended officers of the National Cybercrime Centre for their professionalism and dedication throughout the investigation. He reiterated the Force’s commitment to combating cybercrime and safeguarding Nigeria’s digital economy.
Authorities confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that the suspects will be charged to court upon completion of the investigative process.
