The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command announced the arrest of six individuals involved in an elaborate scheme of registering Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards using the identities of unsuspecting citizens and selling them to criminals. The suspects—Ndubuisi Okeh, John Jock, Nafiu Tijani (a dispatcher), Nasiru Sulaiman, John Njoku, and Suleiman Musa—were paraded before the press on Thursday.
Addressing journalists, FCT Commissioner of Police Benneth Igwe revealed that the suspects sold these fraudulently registered SIM cards for amounts ranging from N3,000 to N5,000. During the operation, law enforcement recovered a substantial cache of items, including 1,100 registered SIM cards, three registration machines, two fingerprint machines, and a mobile phone.
Igwe explained, “On May 29, 2024, around 3:00 p.m., a team of detectives from the State Intelligence Department, led by ACP Mohammed S. Baba, acting on credible intelligence, lured and arrested six suspects: Ndubuisi Okeh, John Jock, Nafiu Tijani (a dispatcher), Nasiru Sulaiman, John Njoku, and Suleiman Musa. These individuals specialize in selling pre-registered SIM cards to criminals who use other people’s identities to avoid detection, at prices between three and five thousand naira.”
Highlighting a critical vulnerability, Igwe noted that up to four different phone numbers could be registered using a single National Identity Number (NIN). Exploiting this loophole, the suspects employed street vendors to acquire personal details from residents purchasing and registering SIM cards.
Igwe elaborated, “These criminals use street SIM card vendors to gather the personal information, including NINs, of unsuspecting residents. We recovered over one thousand, one hundred pre-registered SIM cards, three registration machines, and other related devices from the suspects. All have confessed to their crimes and will be prosecuted upon the conclusion of the investigation.”
In a separate incident, the FCT Police Command also arrested Ikechukwu Didi, a notorious gun runner, with a significant arsenal. On June 7, 2024, at approximately 2:00 p.m., police operatives from the anti-car theft section, acting on reliable intelligence, apprehended Didi at Dutse Junction. He was found in possession of seven automatic pump-action shotguns and 1,000 rounds of live ammunition.
CP Igwe confirmed, “The suspect, Ikechukwu Didi, aged 54, specializes in gun-running. He will be charged in court soon.”
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