The Nigeria Police Force has smashed a nationwide criminal syndicate that specialized in fraudulent National Identification Number, NIN, registrations, arresting eight suspects and shutting down 13 out of 14 malicious domains used to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.

The breakthrough was announced yesterday in Abuja by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the National Cybercrime Centre, NPF-NCCC, CP Ifeanyi Henry Uche.

According to him, contrary to widespread fears, the official database of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, remains intact.

?Following our investigations, I want to assure the public that the NIMC database was not hacked. It is safe and secure. We conducted durability assessment and penetration testing and discovered there was no breach. What we found were third parties creating diversions through phishing links. Consequently, we discovered 14 malicious domains, traced and arrested eight suspects, and shut down 13 of the domains. The suspects will be charged to court for prosecution,? CP Uche stated.

The Director-General of NIMC, Mrs. Abisoye Odusote, commended the Police, the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, for their efforts. She assured Nigerians that enrolment remains free, emphasizing that delays had been addressed with an upgraded system now capable of handling 250 million users.

?We have also decentralized our processes to local governments and wards, and we are ensuring diaspora services.

Enrolment is free and must only be done at authorized centres. NIMC remains steadfast in protecting the integrity of the national database and dismantling criminal networks engaged in fraud, impersonation, and unauthorized enrolments,? she declared.

Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Victor Isuku, explained that coordinated nationwide operations led to multiple arrests across Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Lagos, and Oyo States.

In Akwa Ibom, four suspects?Favour Felix Brown, Rejoice Sunday Udo, Wisdom Felix Brown, and Agnes Monday Silas?were arrested for running illegal ?NIMC centres? where they issued forged police extracts, court affidavits and fake NIN cards. They allegedly extorted applicants, charging between N1,000 and N2,000 for free forms, and up to N35,000 for unauthorized modifications.

In Enugu, 35-year-old Ms. Ugwuaroh Chinenye was arrested for running an unauthorized NIN service centre. Forensic analysis of seized devices is ongoing.

In Lagos, operatives arrested Mr. Adeyemo Samson in Lekki for carrying out illegal registrations at

a mechanic workshop, charging N5,000 per enrolment. A sting operation in Ikotun also led to the arrest of 14 suspects involved in illegal NIN modifications and printing of fake plastic cards, where some charged as much as N100,000 for unlawful services. (Vanguard)

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