Crime

ABUJA – The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC) have apprehended an Anonymous hacker in connection with alleged criminal conspiracy, offences against the Official Secrets Act, leakage of classified ‘restricted’ documents, acts likely to cause breach of public peace, sedition, fraud, and tax evasion. Addressing newsmen, on Tuesday, at the Force Headquarters, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the arrest of the suspect is aimed at protecting national security. He also stated that the effort is to maintain public order, identify and apprehend those engaged in criminal activities threatening the stability of our nation. According to him, “The complaint, filed by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (OSGF), alleged that an anonymous blogger using the Twitter handle @pidomnigeria published and distributed a restricted document on a sensitive matter of national security. “A discrete investigation was initiated to identify those responsible for the leakage, which led to the identification of Bristol Isaac Tamunobifiri, Michael Temidayo Alade, and David Hundeyin, as suspects in connection with the alleged crimes. “The principal suspect, Bristol Isaac Tamunobifiri was apprehended at a hotel in Port Harcourt on Saturday, 5th August 2024, by NPF-NCCC detectives, and in an attempt to resist arrest, the suspect locked himself in a hotel room, smashed his phone, and flushed it down the toilet in an effort to destroy evidence. “He also refused to surrender his phone’s password, claiming he had forgotten it, thereby concealing information.” ACP Adejobi further stressed that, “Subsequent investigations, after his arrest, revealed several suspicious activities between the principal suspect and his accomplices. “Investigations also revealed that the suspect was responsible for leaking a sensitive restricted document generated from the office of the President to the Secretary of the Government of the Federation. “The suspect had also illegally accessed police-restricted data and posted directives from the office of the Inspector-General of Police, and many other restricted documents with the aim of jeopardizing the security network in Nigeria. “It has also been established that the suspect also raised funds through anonymous means to sponsor cyberterrorism and other related crimes. Evidence of this was derived after critical forensic analysis of the suspect’s crypto wallet transactions.” However, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun has reaffirmed the commitment of the Force to maintaining peace and also reiterated that the Nigeria Police Force remains vigilant to take swift and severe action against any individual or group threatening the country’s stability, ensuring they face the full force of the law. The IGP also assured members of the public that further investigations will continue to uncover all facets of this conspiracy. The suspect has however been charged to court and remanded in prison custody.

Operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested 39 suspected internet fraudsters in Oyo State. The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Ibadan, the state capital. The suspects were prosecuted by Justices O.S. Adeyemi, Bayo Taiwo and Ladiran Akintola, all of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan. Oyewale said they were prosecuted on a separate one-count charge each, bordering on impersonation, cheating, possession of fraudulent documents and obtaining by false pretence. The convicts were Fasanya Gbolahan; Nkiri Destiny; Fakoya Samuel; Owolabi Damilare; Isiaka Adebayo; Olawoyin Olasunkanmi; Olawale Abideen; Olayiwola Waheed; Kehinde Abdulrauf; Okunlola Abidoun; Okunlola Mujeeb; Ademeso Olamide; Lawal Ridwan; Femi Oluremi; Ehinmowo Damilola; Joseph Justice; Enitan John; Kolawole Josaiah; Alo Emmanuel; Adetola Idris and Joshua Shiyanbola. Others include Idowu David; Salau Ayomide; Adeyemi Adeleke; Philip Olatunde; Fasanya Tunde; Seun Babatunde; Ogoayo Sijuola; Akanji Bidoun; Quadri Oyindamola; Samuel Oluwatobi; Ogunyemi Opemiposi; Olabanjo Olatunbosun; Paul Uche; Ayomiposi Akinyimika; Abdullahi Adisa; Ajetunmobi Olashile; Oluwaseun Adeniran and Onah Ayomide. The charge against Austine Ayomide reads, “That you, Ayomide ‘M’ on or about March 28, 2024, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated by representing yourself to be a white woman by the name Linda Mary from United States of America, through your Facebook account (Linda Mary) to one Clifton Deininger, from United States of America, with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence of personation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.” They all pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them, following which prosecution counsel reviewed the facts of the cases, tendered incriminating documents and prayed the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly. Justice Adeyemi convicted and sentenced Ayomide to one year of community service or to pay a fine of N200,000; Tunde got a month jail term or to pay a fine of N250,000 while Abeeb Ayomide, Adeleke, Babatunde, Biodun, Oyindamola, Oluwatobi, Olatunbosun, Uche, Akinyimika, Adisa, Olashile and Adeniran bagged six months community service each and to pay N50, 000.00 each in addition to their sentence, besides Abeeb Ayomide who was slammed with N500, 000.00 in addition to his sentence. He slammed Sijuola with one month of community service or to pay a fine of N100,000. Olatunde and Opemiposi were handed three months of community service without an option of a fine. Justice Taiwo on his part convicted and sentenced Taoreed Abidoun to three months imprisonment and Mujeeb to four months jail term while Olasunkanmi and Abideen bagged six months community service each and were further ordered to pay a fine of N150,000.00 each in addition their sentences. He convicted and sentenced Gbolahan, Damilare, Adebayo and Abdulrauf to five months of community service each and gave the latter a fine option of N100,000. Waheed and Samuel got four months of community service, and a fine of N100,000.00, while Destiny bagged two months of community service. Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced Olamide, Oluremi, Damilola, Justice, Josaiah, Emmanuel and Shiyanbola to bag a one-year jail term each or to pay a fine of N30, 000.00, N50, 000.00, N75, 000.00, N75, 000.00, N50, 000.00, N120, 000.00 and N100, 000.00 respectively. Damilola forfeited a green-coloured Nissan Micra car with registration number: LSD – 464 – GU with Chassis Number: SJNFBAK11U3001751; Emmanuel forfeited a black-coloured Lexus IS 250 car with registration number: MUS–158–JHS and Justice forfeited a black-coloured Toyota Corolla car with registration number: FST-607–GN. Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced Idris and David to six months of community service each or to pay fines of N60,000.00 and N150, 000.00 respectively. Ridwan and John bagged three months of community service each or to pay fines of N25, 000.00 and N30, 000.00 respectively. The convicts forfeited all items recovered from them to the Federal Government. All the convicts began their journey to prison when they were arrested in a sting operation for fraudulent internet activities.