The Airport Police Command, in collaboration with other security agencies, has arrested a 29-year-old suspected international fraudster, Abraham Akpojisheri, for possession of 783 MTN SIM cards, allegedly intended for cybercrime.
The arrest was made at the local wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Terminal 2, Ikeja, Lagos, on June 24, 2025.
According to a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Daramola Kazeem, Akpojisheri, a native of Villa, Abraka, Delta State, was intercepted by Aviation Security (AVSEC) while attempting to board a local flight to Asaba.
He had just arrived Nigeria on the same day via TAG Angola Airlines, having travelled from South Africa where the SIM cards were allegedly purchased.
Upon interrogation, Akpojisheri confessed to being part of a transnational cybercrime syndicate involved in identity theft, financial scams, and impersonation. The suspect revealed that the SIM cards were intended for hacking CARD EAS systems to illegally access bank accounts of individuals across the globe.
The Command’s preliminary investigations revealed that Akpojisheri had already defrauded at least ten victims in the United States, collectively swindling tens of thousands of dollars.
He reportedly created multiple email addresses with fabricated foreign identities, and used Facebook as his primary platform to lure unsuspecting victims into fraudulent investment schemes, posing as a foreign exchange trader.
A key figure in the operation, Akpojisheri further admitted, is his associate, Okiemute, who is based in Ukraine. According to the suspect, Okiemute trained him in advanced cyber fraud techniques, including account hacking and digital impersonation. This has led investigators to uncover criminal networks operating across Ukraine, South Africa, and Nigeria.
The Commissioner of Police at the Airport Command, CP Olufunke Adeayo Ogunbode, PhD, mnips, has ordered the case to be handled by a specialised technical unit within the force. This team, equipped with advanced digital forensic tools, was credited with extracting irrefutable digital evidence that led to Akpojisheri’s confession.
In her remarks, CP Ogunbode praised the inter-agency collaboration that led to the arrest and commended the officers for rejecting a bribe offered by the suspect. She vowed to ensure that no crime goes unpunished under her watch and warned Nigerian youths to shun criminal activities, particularly those targeting aviation facilities.
“We will continue to apply the full weight of the law to ensure criminals are brought to justice. Let this serve as a stern warning to anyone attempting to misuse our airports or our systems,” Ogunbode declared.
The suspect is currently in custody and will be arraigned in court upon conclusion of investigations, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend his international accomplices.