Police Bust N7.7bn Telecom Fraud, Apprehend Six Suspects

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Nigeria Police Force, through the National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), has dismantled a sophisticated cyber-enabled fraud syndicate responsible for the large-scale diversion of telecommunications airtime and data resources, with estimated losses exceeding N7.7 billion.

In a statement, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the operation followed a petition from a Nigerian telecommunications company that detected suspicious and unauthorised activities within its billing and payment systems.

He explained that investigations revealed that login credentials belonging to internal staff had been compromised, allowing cybercriminals to gain unlawful access to the company’s core infrastructure and manipulate its systems for financial gain.

According to the police, weeks of intelligence gathering and operational planning culminated in coordinated enforcement actions carried out in October 2025 across Kano and Katsina States, with a subsequent arrest made in the Federal Capital Territory.

The operations 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.

Items recovered during the operation included two residential houses in Kano, two mini plazas, GSM and laptop retail outlets containing over 400 laptops and about 1,000 mobile phones, as well as a Toyota RAV4 vehicle.

Police said the assets are believed to be proceeds of the fraud.

In addition, substantial sums of money traced to the suspects’ bank accounts were also recovered.

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

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, commended the officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and diligence.

He reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s unwavering resolve, through the NPF-NCCC, to protect Nigeria’s digital and financial ecosystems, dismantle cybercriminal networks and ensure that offenders are brought to justice, irrespective of their status or affiliations.