Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested five additional suspects linked to a massive N7.7 billion telecommunications data fraud, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to 11, while recovering nearly N90 million in cash, two residential houses in Kano State, a mini‑plaza, and a Toyota RAV4 vehicle identified as proceeds of the crime. The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF‑NCCC) announced the breakthrough in a statement on Thursday, June 18, 2026, detailing how the suspects compromised a leading telecom company’s billing infrastructure to generate airtime and convert it into data bundles for sale across the country.
The investigation, which began in January 2026 following a complaint by a leading telecommunications service provider, initially led to the arrest of six suspects. However, further inquiries uncovered the involvement of both insiders and external collaborators, prompting a second wave of operations in May 2026. Acting on actionable intelligence, operatives of the NPF‑NCCC carried out coordinated raids in Kano, Katsina and Zamfara States, leading to the arrest of key suspects, including Musa Muhammed Kwandi, Nura Sadauki and Aminu Muhammed. Other suspects arrested in connection with the investigation include Musa Hassan Mohammed, an IT specialist, Samson Alisigwe and Yusuf Shehu, all of whom are believed to have benefited from the proceeds of the fraudulent activities, according to a statement by the Police Public Liaison Officer of the NPF‑NCCC, DSP Unwana Imah.
Preliminary investigations revealed that between October 1 and November 28, 2024, the suspects unlawfully gained access to the company’s network billing infrastructure and fraudulently generated airtime, which was subsequently converted into data bundles. The data bundles were thereafter distributed and sold through a network of vendors across the country. In the course of the investigation, operatives recovered over 400 laptops, 1,000 mobile phones, POS machines, cash exhibits and other evidential materials linked to the crime. The telecommunications provider was also able to reverse approximately 2,931.79 terabytes of fraudulently obtained data valued at about N3.8 billion.
Through sustained financial investigations and asset tracing, the police recovered nearly N90 million in cash, as well as two residential houses in Kano State, a mini‑plaza, and a Toyota RAV4 vehicle, all identified as proceeds of the crime. The police said investigations are ongoing to identify other accomplices, trace additional proceeds, and ensure the prosecution of all persons found culpable. The Inspector‑General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to safeguarding the nation’s critical digital infrastructure and tackling cybercrime, while urging members of the public with relevant information to assist ongoing investigations through the NPF‑NCCC reporting channels.
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