Police Uncover ₦7.7bn Telecom Fraud, Arrest Six Suspects

The Nigeria Police Force, through its National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC), has uncovered a large-scale cyber-enabled fraud involving the illegal diversion of a telecommunications company’s airtime and data, with losses estimated at over ₦7.7 billion.
The discovery followed a petition by a Nigerian telecom operator, which raised concerns over unauthorized activities within its billing and payment systems. Police investigations revealed that the syndicate gained unlawful access by compromising internal staff login credentials, allowing them to infiltrate core operational platforms.
After weeks of intelligence gathering and planning, coordinated operations were carried out in October 2025 across Kano and Katsina states, with a subsequent arrest in the Federal Capital Territory. Six suspects—Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad—were arrested in connection with the fraud.
Items recovered from the suspects include two residential houses in Kano, two mini-plazas, GSM and laptop retail outlets stocked with over 400 laptops and about 1,000 mobile phones, as well as a Toyota RAV4 vehicle. Police also traced and recovered substantial sums of money from the suspects’ bank accounts, all believed to be proceeds of the crime.
The suspects are expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Commending the officers involved, Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, praised their professionalism and dedication. He reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to protecting the country’s digital and financial systems, dismantling cybercrime networks, and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice, regardless of their status.