Police Bust Cybercrime Ring, Recover 400 Laptops in ₦7.7bn Telecom Airtime Diversion

Police Bust Cybercrime Ring, Recover 400 Laptops in ₦7.7bn Telecom Airtime Diversion

Abuja, Nigeria — January 28, 2026: The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has uncovered what it describes as a large-scale cybercrime syndicate, arresting six suspects and recovering over 400 laptops in connection with the alleged hacking of a major telecommunications company to divert airtime and mobile data valued at ₦7.7 billion.

The arrests followed a petition by the affected telecom firm, which alerted authorities to suspicious activities within its billing and payment systems. Acting on the complaint, operatives of the National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) launched an intelligence-driven investigation that exposed how the suspects allegedly illegally accessed the company’s internal network using compromised staff login credentials.

According to the police, the suspects manipulated the telecom firm’s systems to divert massive volumes of airtime and data, causing losses estimated at ₦7.7bn. The investigation, which began in October 2025, led to coordinated operations across Kano, Katsina and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

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Police spokesperson CSP Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed that the six suspects arrested include Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu and Masa’ud Sa’ad. He said the operation also resulted in the recovery of significant assets believed to have been used in carrying out the alleged cybercrime.

Items recovered by the police include over 400 laptops, about 1,000 mobile phones, two mini plazas used as operational hubs, two residential houses in Kano, a Toyota RAV4 vehicle, and large sums of money traced to the suspects’ bank accounts. Investigators believe the seized devices were used to execute and manage the illicit airtime diversion scheme.

The police said the suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations. The NPF added that further arrests are possible as efforts continue to dismantle the wider network behind the alleged telecom fraud.

Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun commended officers involved in the operation and reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to combating cybercrime, digital fraud and attacks on critical telecommunications infrastructure. He warned that individuals exploiting Nigeria’s digital ecosystem for criminal activities would be identified and prosecuted.

The case underscores growing concerns around telecom fraud and cyber-enabled financial crimes in Nigeria, as authorities intensify enforcement actions to protect the country’s rapidly expanding digital economy.

Police Bust Cybercrime Ring, Recover 400 Laptops in ₦7.7bn Telecom Airtime Diversion