By Ken Chiwendu
The Nigeria Police Force NPF says a hacker stole over ₦1 billion from the Enugu State Government, but swift action by the National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) led to the recovery of the stolen funds.
The suspect, Onuma Osita, was arrested, and ₦1,097,700,300 (about $754,977) was returned to the state’s coffers. Police also seized assets including 14 land documents, phones, laptops, and a drone linked to the crime.
According to the Force,further investigations led to the arrest of Douglass Victor, part of an international syndicate involved in identity theft and business email fraud. Police discovered thousands of compromised email credentials and login details during the probe.
Over 750 cybercrime suspects were arrested in 2024 with recoveries totalling ₦7.9 billion, alongside assets such as vehicles and properties. The police have vowed to continue their efforts to dismantle international syndicates targeting Nigeria.
