The Nigeria Police Force has uncovered a sophisticated cyber fraud scheme that allegedly siphoned billions of naira in airtime and mobile data from a major telecommunications provider, leading to the arrest of six suspects.
Police investigators said the suspects breached sensitive digital infrastructure and manipulated internal systems to reroute telecom resources for illegal gains, causing an estimated loss of ₦7.7 billion to the company.
Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed that the operation followed weeks of covert investigation triggered by a formal complaint from the affected telecom firm over unexplained discrepancies in its billing framework.
According to police findings, the suspects exploited compromised staff login credentials to gain unauthorised access to core platforms, allowing them to divert airtime and data at scale without detection for a prolonged period.
“The level of coordination suggests a well-organised network with technical knowledge of telecom systems,” a senior police officer involved in the probe said, noting that the breach went beyond routine cybercrime.
Those arrested were identified as Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad, all of whom are believed to have played different roles within the syndicate.
During coordinated raids, police operatives recovered two mini plazas converted into retail and operational hubs, alongside more than 400 laptops, about 1,000 mobile phones, and a Toyota vehicle allegedly used for logistics.
Investigators also traced what police described as a substantial flow of funds from the illegal operation into several bank accounts linked to the suspects, strengthening the financial trail of the alleged crime.
“The scale of assets recovered shows this was not a random attack but a deliberate, profit-driven cyber operation,” Hundeyin said in the statement.
The arrests were carried out in Kano and Katsina states, with a subsequent operation in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, as police closed in on the remaining members of the network.
Police authorities confirmed that the suspects will be charged in court once investigations are concluded, while efforts continue to assess the full financial and operational impact of the breach.
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, commended the officers involved, describing the operation as a clear signal of the force’s resolve to combat cybercrime and protect Nigeria’s digital economy.