By Gabriel Ameh
The Nigeria Police Force, through its National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC), has uncovered and dismantled a highly sophisticated cyber-enabled fraud syndicate responsible for the illegal diversion of a telecommunications company’s airtime and data resources, leading to financial losses estimated at over ₦7.7 billion.
The operation followed a formal petition by a Nigerian telecommunications firm, which alerted authorities to suspicious and unauthorised activities detected within its billing and payment systems. Investigations revealed that the fraudsters had compromised internal staff login credentials, granting them unlawful access to the company’s core operational infrastructure.
After weeks of intelligence gathering and meticulous planning, coordinated enforcement operations were carried out in October 2025 across Kano and Katsina States, with a subsequent arrest made in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The operations resulted in 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 raids 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 recovered assets are believed to be proceeds of the illicit activities. Additionally, substantial sums of money traced to the suspects’ bank accounts were recovered.
The suspects are expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Commending the operatives involved, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, praised their professionalism and dedication.
He reiterated the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Police Force, through the NPF–NCCC, to protecting Nigeria’s digital and financial ecosystems, dismantling cybercrime networks, and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice, irrespective of status or affiliation.
