The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has apprehended six individuals accused of registering Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards with stolen identities and selling them to criminals.
The suspects, Ndubuisi Okeh, John Jock, Nafiu Tijani, Nasiru Sulaiman, John Njoku, and Suleiman Musa, were paraded before journalists by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igwe.
According to Igwe, the suspects sold the SIM cards to criminals for between N3,000 and N5,000 each.
The police recovered 1,100 registered SIM cards, three registration machines, two fingerprint machines, and a mobile phone from the suspects.
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Igwe explained that the suspects exploited street SIM card vendors to obtain the personal information of unsuspecting residents, including their National Identity Numbers (NINs).
He warned that four different numbers could be registered under a single NIN, making it easier for criminals to operate with stolen identities.
The suspects have confessed to the crime and will be charged in court upon completion of the investigation.
Igwe said, “On May 29, 2024, at about 3:00 pm, 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
“Who specialises in the sales of already registered sim cards to criminals who operate with other people’s identity to avoid being traced or tracked through their own details at the price rate of three to five thousand naira.
“It may interest you to know that four different numbers could be registered under a single NIN, hence, these criminals employ street sim card vendors to get the details of unsuspecting residents who buy sim cards and register at the same time.
“Over one thousand, one hundred already registered sim cards, three registration machines, and other gadgets were recovered from the suspects. The suspects have all confessed to the crime and will be charged to court at the conclusion of the investigation.”
In a related development, the police also arrested a gun runner, Ikechukwu Didi, with seven automatic pump action shotguns and 1,000 rounds of live cartridges.
The police commissioner, however, assured that the suspects would be arraigned in court soon.
