Nigeria Police arrest six over ₦7.7 Billion telecom fraud

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has apprehended six suspects over an alleged cyber-enabled fraud involving the illegal diversion of airtime and mobile data valued at ₦7.7 billion.

The suspects, identified as Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad, reportedly gained unauthorized access to the core systems of a Nigerian telecommunications company.

Police spokesperson, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed that the operation followed a petition by the company, which reported suspicious activities within its billing and payment systems. Investigations revealed that internal staff login credentials had been compromised, allowing the suspects to siphon resources from the company.

“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,” Hundeyin said.

Recovered items from the suspects include two mini-plazas, retail outlets containing over 400 laptops and 1,000 mobile phones, a Toyota vehicle, and a “substantial” amount of money traced to their bank accounts.

Hundeyin added that the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of investigations. The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, commended the officers involved for their professionalism and diligence.

“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 ₦7.7 billion,” Hundeyin said, reaffirming the NPF’s commitment to dismantling cybercrime networks and protecting Nigeria’s digital and financial ecosystems.

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