The Nigeria Police Force, through its National Cybercrime Centre, NPF–NCCC, has uncovered and dismantled a sophisticated cyber-enabled fraud syndicate responsible for the illegal diversion of a telecommunications company’s airtime and data resources, with estimated losses of over N7.7 billion.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, who disclosed this in a statement on January 28, 2026, said the breakthrough followed a petition submitted by a Nigerian telecommunications firm after it detected suspicious and unauthorised activities within its billing and payments infrastructure.
Hundeyin said investigations revealed that internal staff login credentials of the affected company were compromised, allowing the suspects to gain unlawful access to core systems and divert airtime and data resources on a massive scale.
“The Nigeria Police Force – National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC) has uncovered and dismantled a sophisticated cyber-enabled fraud syndicate,” the statement read.
"The syndicate was responsible for the illegal diversion of a telecommunications company’s airtime and data resources, resulting in an estimated financial loss of over N7.7 billion.
"The breakthrough followed a petition by a Nigerian telecommunications company, which reported suspicious and unauthorized activities within its billing and payments infrastructure.
"Investigations revealed that internal staff login credentials had been compromised, granting threat actors unlawful access to core systems.
"Following weeks of planning, coordinated enforcement operations were executed in October 2025 in Kano and Katsina States, with a follow-up arrest in the Federal Capital Territory.
"The operation led to the arrest of six suspects: Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad.
"Recovered items during the arrest include two residential houses in Kano, two mini-plazas, GSM and laptop retail outlets containing over 400 laptops, 1,000 mobile as well as a Toyota RAV4 vehicle - all proceeds of the crime.
"Substantial sums of money traced to the suspects accounts were also recovered.
“The suspects would be charged to court on the completion of the investigation.”
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has commended the officers involved in the investigation for their professionalism.
He reiterated the unwavering resolve of the Nigeria Police Force, through the NPF–NCCC, to safeguard Nigeria’s digital and financial ecosystems, dismantle cyber-criminal networks, and ensure that offenders are held accountable regardless of position or affiliation.
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