Three arrested for ‘hacking POS platform to steal N16m’ in Oyo

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says it has arrested three suspects over hacking of a Point of Sale (POS) platform to steal N16 million in Oyo state.

Olumuyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), announced the development in a statement on Tuesday.

The suspects — identified as Sanmi Ayodeji, aged 29; Felix Oluwaseun, aged 24; and Adeleye Oluwaseun, aged 34 — were said to have signed up on a POS platform, known as Tmoni Technologies Company, using their bank verification numbers (BVN) and those of their friends and relatives without their consent.

They reportedly opened valid wallet accounts with Tmoni, bypassed the company’s network security system, and fraudulently transferred N16,149,195 from the Tmoni platform to various online accounts from where they made withdrawals.

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Adejobi said the suspects were arrested in Ibadan, Oyo state, by operatives of the NPF national cybercrime centre, after a complaint was lodged by the financial controller of the Tmoni platform.

“Upon their arrest, the suspects were found in possession of several mobile phones, POS machines, SIM cards, Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Cards, and one Toyota Matrix car with registration no. KUJ 548 CN which they confessed was bought with proceeds of the crime,” the statement reads.

“The Inspector-General of Police, while calling on users of online banking platforms to be vigilant with regard to their personal information, urges all citizens and residents in the country, as stakeholders in ensuring maximum security, to report all suspicious cyber activities via 09168343711, interpolnigeria@npf.gov.ng or on the NPF Cybercrime Reporting Portal – https://incb.npf.gov.ng/.

“The IGP similarly commended the Director, NPF National Cybercrime Centre, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Uche Ifeanyi Henry, for his diligence and dedication which has led to the breakthroughs recorded so far.

“The suspects will be charged to court as soon as possible.”