Two students from different institutions in Nigeria have been arrested and charged by the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) in Ikoyi, Lagos, for allegedly hacking into MTN Nigeria Communications’ systems and stealing airtime and data worth N1.9 billion.
Timothy Fashina Oluwabukola, a student of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) in Abeokuta, and Anthony Imonina Odemerho, a student of Regal Academy in Benin City, are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, unauthorized access to MTN’s Application Programming Interface (API), and unlawful conversion of data and airtime.
According to the prosecutor, Justine Enang, the students, along with others still at large, conspired to hack into MTN’s web-based platform between January and April 2024. They allegedly accessed and exploited the API to defraud the telecom giant of N1.9 billion in data and airtime.
MTN’s Charges against the students
The charges filed against the students include violations of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, and the Money Laundering (Prehibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.
During their arraignment before the Federal High Court, both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecution requested a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded in custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) pending the trial’s outcome.
However, defense lawyers have filed bail applications for their clients, which Justice Akintayo Aluko has adjourned until August 5.
The charges allege that the accused students gained unauthorized access to MTN’s computer systems, manipulated authorization keys, and fraudulently converted airtime into data for sale to the public. The actions allegedly caused significant financial loss to MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, leading to charges of unauthorized access, fraud, and money laundering.
The case has sparked concerns about the vulnerability of Nigerian companies’ computer systems to cyber attacks and the need for enhanced security measures to prevent such incidents.
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