Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have arrested six suspects for allegedly hacking into a telecommunication company in Nigeria to divert airtime and mobile data worth ₦7.7 billion.
Disclosing this in a statement on Wednesday, Force spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the suspects allegedly gained unlawful access into the core systems of the telecommunication company.
Hundeyin identified the suspects as Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad, saying police operatives recovered two mini plazas, retail outlets containing over 400 laptops, 1,000 mobile phones, and a Toyota vehicle.
According to him, a “substantial” amount of money was traced to the suspects’ bank accounts.
PRESS RELEASE
NIGERIA POLICE UNCOVERS 7.7 BILLION NAIRA TELECOM FRAUD, ARRESTS 6 SUSPECTS, RECOVERS ASSETS
The Nigeria Police Force – National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC) has uncovered and dismantled a sophisticated cyber-enabled fraud syndicate. The syndicate was responsible… pic.twitter.com/vCof2b9qL3— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) January 28, 2026
“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,” the statement reads.
“The breakthrough followed a petition by a Nigerian telecommunications company, which reported suspicious and unauthorised 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 suspects would be charged to court on the completion of the investigation.
“Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has commended the officers involved in the investigation for their professionalism.”
