Six suspects who specialize in using the names of other law-abiding residents to register Subscriber Identity Module cards and then selling them to criminals were paraded by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command on Thursday.
Ndubuisi Okeh, John Jock, Nasiru Sulaiman, John Njoku, Nafiu Tijani (a dispatcher), and Suleiman Musa are the suspects.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igwe, spoke to reporters while presenting the suspects and claimed that they sold the SIM cards to criminals for between N3,000 and N5000.
He reported that the suspects had a cell phone, two fingerprint machines, three registration devices, and 1,100 registered SIM cards.
“A team of detectives from the State Intelligence Department led by ACP Mohammed S. Baba, acting on credible intelligence, lured and arrested six suspects namely: Ndubuisi Okeh, John Jock; Nafiu Tijani (a dispatcher); Nasiru Sulaiman; John Njoku and Suleiman Musa,” Igwe stated. “On May 29, 2024, at about 3:00 pm.” who specializes in charging three to five thousand naira for previously registered sim cards, which are sold to criminals using other people’s identities to prevent being found or tracked using their personal information.
Igwe added that a National Identity Number might be registered with four different digits.
Because of this, he claims, these crooks turn to street SIM card merchants to get the personal information of naïve citizens who purchase and register SIM cards at the same time.
Igwe clarified that the criminals extort personal information from customers of street SIM card merchants, including the National Identity Numbers of innocent locals.
“You might be interested to learn that four distinct numbers can be registered under a single NIN. For this reason, these criminals use street vendors of sim cards to obtain the personal information of unsuspecting residents who purchase sim cards and register at the same time.” he stated.
Three registration machines, more than one thousand one hundred already registered SIM cards, and other devices were taken from the suspects. At the end of the investigation, the suspects—all of whom have admitted to the crime—will face legal charges.
The CP added that a gun runner named Ikechukwu Didi was apprehended in possession of 1000 live cartridge rounds and seven automatic pump action shotguns.
“On June 7, 2024, at approximately 2:00 pm, police operatives from the anti-car theft section followed and arrested one Ikechukwu Didi, 54, at Dutse Junction, who specializes in gun-running,” the statement reads. Based on credible intelligence. He was found in possession of seven automatic pump action shotguns and one thousand live cartridges. The suspect will shortly be arraigned in court.
