The Nigeria Police Force has dismantled a sophisticated telecom fraud syndicate accused of stealing over ₦7.7 billion from a major telecommunications company. Six suspects have been arrested in connection with the elaborate scam, which involved illegal access to the company’s airtime and data systems.
According to the police, the crime came to light after the telecom company noticed unusual activity in its billing and payment systems. Investigations revealed that internal staff credentials had been compromised, allowing the syndicate to siphon substantial sums from the company’s accounts.
The operation, led by the National Cybercrime Centre, involved weeks of intelligence gathering and coordinated raids across multiple states, including Kano, Katsina, and the Federal Capital Territory. The arrested suspects include Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad.
Police recovered a range of assets believed to be connected to the fraud. These included two residential houses in Kano, two mini-plazas, GSM and laptop retail outlets stocked with more than 400 laptops and 1,000 mobile phones, and a Toyota RAV4 vehicle. Several bank accounts linked to the suspects were also frozen, with funds traced to the illicit activities.
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, praised the officers involved for their professionalism and stressed that the police are committed to protecting Nigeria’s digital and financial infrastructure. He noted that the arrests serve as a warning that cybercrime will not be tolerated.
The suspects are expected to be formally charged in court once investigations are complete. Authorities have reiterated their determination to dismantle cybercrime networks and prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.
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