NPF-NCCC Arrests Six in Major ₦7.7bn Telecom Airtime Diversion Case

NPF–NCCC Arrests Six in Major ₦7.7bn Telecom Airtime Diversion Case

‎The suspects include Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad.
IGP Egbetokun stressed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to safeguarding the country’s digital and financial ecosystem

The Nigeria Police Force has announced the arrest of six suspects linked to a multi-billion-naira cyber fraud operation targeting a major telecommunications company.

Eko Hot Blog gathered that the alleged scam involved the illegal diversion of airtime and data resources valued at over ₦7.7 billion.

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‎The arrests were confirmed on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, who said operatives from the National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC) carried out the investigation. The suspects include Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad.

‎Hundeyin explained that the breakthrough came following a complaint by the unnamed telecom company about suspicious activity within its billing and payments systems. “Investigations revealed that internal staff login credentials had been compromised, granting threat actors unlawful access to core systems,” he said.

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‎The coordinated enforcement operations took place in October 2025 across Kano and Katsina States, with a follow-up arrest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

‎Recovered assets linked to the suspects include two residential houses in Kano, two mini-plazas, GSM and laptop retail outlets containing over 400 laptops, 1,000 mobile phones, and a Toyota RAV4 vehicle. Substantial sums of money traced to the suspects’ accounts were also seized. Prosecution proceedings are expected following the conclusion of investigations.

‎The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, praised the officers for their professionalism, stressing the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to safeguarding the country’s digital and financial ecosystems. He reiterated that cybercriminals would be held accountable “regardless of position or affiliation.”