The Nigeria Police Force has uncovered a large-scale cyber fraud scheme that led to the illegal diversion of airtime and data belonging to a major telecommunications company, with losses estimated at more than ₦7.7 billion. The operation was carried out by the National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) following a formal complaint from the affected telecom firm.
According to police findings, the fraud was made possible after criminals gained access to internal staff login details, allowing them to infiltrate the company’s billing and payment systems. The unauthorised access enabled the syndicate to manipulate telecom resources over a period of time without detection.
After weeks of investigation and planning, coordinated raids were conducted in October 2025 across Kano and Katsina states, with an additional arrest later made in Abuja. Six suspects — Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad — were taken into custody. Items recovered include two residential houses, two mini-plazas, GSM and laptop shops stocked with over 400 laptops and 1,000 mobile phones, as well as a Toyota RAV4 and significant cash traced to the suspects’ bank accounts.
The suspects are expected to be charged to court once investigations are concluded. Commending the officers involved, Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, reaffirmed the police force’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s digital and financial systems and dismantling cybercrime networks, warning that offenders will be prosecuted regardless of their status or connections.