Police Bust 77.7bn Telecom Fraud, Nab 6 Suspects in Kano, Katsina, Abuja
The Nigeria Police Force, through its National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC), has uncovered a sophisticated cyber-enabled fraud syndicate responsible for the illegal diversion of a telecommunications company’s airtime and data resources, leading to an estimated financial loss of over ₦7.7 billion.
The development followed a formal petition by a Nigerian telecommunications company, which raised concerns over suspicious and unauthorized activities within its billing and payment systems. According to police investigations, internal staff login credentials were compromised, granting cybercriminals unlawful access to the company’s core infrastructure and enabling large-scale diversion of digital resources.
After weeks of intelligence gathering and operational planning, coordinated enforcement actions were carried out in October 2025 across Kano and Katsina states, with a follow-up arrest later conducted in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Read Also:
Six suspects were arrested in connection with the alleged fraud. They are Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad.
Items recovered during the operation include two residential houses in Kano, two mini-plazas, GSM and laptop retail outlets housing over 400 laptops and about 1,000 mobile phones, as well as a Toyota RAV4 vehicle. The police said the assets are believed to be proceeds of the crime. Substantial sums of money traced to the suspects’ bank accounts were also recovered.
The Nigeria Police Force disclosed that the suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, has commended the officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and diligence.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force, through the NPF–NCCC, to protecting the country’s digital and financial ecosystems, dismantling cybercrime networks, and ensuring that offenders are brought to justice regardless of their status or affiliation.
The statement was signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, on January 28, 2026, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
By PRNigeria
