Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested six suspects over the alleged hacking of a telecommunications company’s system to divert airtime and mobile data valued at N7.7 billion.

In a statement on Wednesday, the force spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the suspects unlawfully accessed the company’s core systems to carry out the operation.

Those arrested were identified as Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad.

Hundeyin disclosed that operatives recovered two mini plazas, several retail outlets housing more than 400 laptops, 1,000 mobile phones, and a Toyota vehicle.

He added that a “substantial” sum of money was also traced to the suspects’ bank accounts.

“The syndicate was responsible for the illegal diversion of a telecommunications company’s airtime and data resources, resulting in an estimated financial loss of over ₦7.7 billion.

“The breakthrough followed a petition by a Nigerian telecommunications company, which reported suspicious and unauthorised activities within its billing and payments infrastructure.

“Investigations revealed that internal staff login credentials had been compromised, granting threat actors unlawful access to core systems.

“Following weeks of planning, coordinated enforcement operations were executed in October 2025 in Kano and Katsina States, with a follow-up arrest in the Federal Capital Territory.

“The suspects would be charged to court on the completion of the investigation.

“Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has commended the officers involved in the investigation for their professionalism,” the statement reads.