Odita Sunday 
Police Probe Alleged ₦6.17bn Financial Diversion, Arrest Suspects In Cybercrime Cases
By Odita Sunday
The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) is investigating the alleged diversion of about ₦6.174 billion from the Treasury Single Account of a financial institution, with investigators tracing 761 transactions to 105 beneficiaries across 19 banks.
The development is one of four major cases involving alleged financial fraud, unlawful access to electronic banking platforms, armed robbery, identity-related offences, money laundering and other technology-enabled crimes being investigated by the NPF-NCCC.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the NPF-NCCC, AIG Akaninyene Ezima, disclosed the cases on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, during a press briefing at the Centre’s conference hall in Abuja.
Ezima said the first case followed a petition received by the Inspector-General of Police on August 13 from a payment services platform against Ecovista Industries PVT Limited and others over the alleged diversion.
According to him, preliminary investigation indicated that the transactions were linked to a configuration vulnerability encountered during the migration of a financial institution’s profile from a Public-Sector API to a Private-Sector API.
Investigators also uncovered failed transfer attempts valued at about ₦84.39 billion before the transactions that resulted in the alleged diversion were successfully processed.
The police said 761 payments totalling approximately ₦6.174 billion were traced to 105 beneficiaries across 19 banks. Some of the transactions were presented as refunds to Ecovista Industries customers, after which some recipients were allegedly directed to transfer the funds into alternative accounts linked to the company.
Two Indian nationals connected to the company have been arrested and are assisting the investigation, while efforts are ongoing to locate another Indian national, Sandeep Agarwala, who is currently at large.
The NPF-NCCC said it was working with relevant stakeholders and international partners to trace the movement of the funds, determine how the vulnerability was exploited and recover suspected proceeds of the alleged crime.
In a separate case, police investigators traced two suspects allegedly linked to the robbery of two people during a morning exercise in Garki II, Abuja, and the subsequent unauthorised access to one victim’s electronic banking platforms.
The incident occurred on June 19 when the victims were allegedly attacked by two armed men on a motorcycle around Grey Lodge. One victim sustained injuries, while a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 and an iPhone 17 Pro Max were reportedly stolen.
The police said the suspects subsequently gained unauthorised access to the victim’s electronic banking platforms, converting $950 from her domiciliary account, transferring ₦1.292 million from her naira account to various beneficiary accounts and purchasing ₦50,000 worth of airtime.
Digital forensic analysis led investigators to Hamisu Isa Musa, 38, who was arrested in Kano over the airtime purchase. Further investigation led to the arrest of Abubakar Usman Kesoje, 30, in Keffi, Nasarawa State, over proceeds allegedly linked to the sale of the recharge cards.
Police said investigators also discovered multiple bank accounts linked to different Bank Verification Numbers and National Identification Numbers.
Recovered exhibits included mobile phones, NIN cards, Corporate Affairs Commission documents, a 2010 Toyota Corolla, several ATM cards bearing different names, seven Point-of-Sale terminals and a firearm.
The suspects remain in custody while investigators work to identify others allegedly connected to the case and trace the proceeds.
In another investigation, the NPF-NCCC is pursuing the alleged diversion of a consignment of 222 iPhones and 15 smartwatches valued at about $144,440, including associated logistics costs.
The complainant had engaged Segjo Logistics, owned by Olusegun Ojo, to transport mobile devices purchased from suppliers in Dubai. Upon receiving the consignment on June 11, the complainant allegedly discovered that the devices had been removed and replaced with newspapers and chargers.
Preliminary investigation indicated that a Pakistani national associated with the logistics company allegedly absconded with the devices.
Through intelligence-led investigation and forensic analysis, police traced some of the devices to persons in Nigeria. Two suspects were arrested in Ibadan, Oyo State, and Lagos State, leading to the recovery of four of the devices.
Three additional suspects were later arrested in Kano State, with two more devices recovered. Police said preliminary findings indicated that some of the suspects allegedly purchased the devices through a dealer in Dubai.
Investigators are continuing efforts to recover the remaining devices and establish the roles of others allegedly involved.
The NPF-NCCC is also handling an extradition case involving Abiodun Olawale Lawal, who is wanted in the United States over alleged wire fraud and attempted wire fraud.
Ezima said the Centre received an arrest request from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice through the Inspector-General of Police on September 4.
Following a warrant of arrest, NPF-NCCC operatives arrested Lawal in Abuja on September 11. He was subsequently arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja and remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the continuation of the extradition proceedings.
The matter has been adjourned until October 7, 2026.
Beyond the investigations, Ezima expressed concern over the growing use of digital platforms for cyberbullying, cyberstalking, criminal defamation and the deliberate spread of false information.
He urged members of the public to verify information before sharing it and avoid using digital platforms to harass, threaten, defame or deliberately circulate false information.
The NPF-NCCC also announced plans for its Cyber Security Awareness Week 2026, scheduled for October 15 to 17.
The programme will begin with an opening ceremony and cybersecurity awareness lecture, followed by school visits and sensitisation programmes on October 16. Activities will end with a cybersecurity awareness walkathon on October 17.
Ezima said the initiative was aimed at strengthening public awareness and prevention while bringing government agencies, law enforcement, financial institutions, the private sector, academia and the technology sector together around the shared responsibility of protecting Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
He urged members of the public to protect their authentication credentials, activate multi-factor authentication where available and promptly report suspected cybercrime and fraudulent transactions to the appropriate authorities.
The AIG said investigations into the cases remained ongoing, stressing that the police would continue efforts to identify other suspects, trace and recover suspected proceeds of crime and bring persons found culpable before the law.
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