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Police: How student hackers stole N1.9b data, airtime from MTN

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The Police Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, Lagos have brought two students- Timothy Fashina Oluwabukola and Anthony Imonina Odemerho – before the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly hacking MTN Nigeria Communication’s computers and stealing airtime and data worth N1.9 billion.

Oluwabukola and Odemerho, students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) Abeokuta, Ogun State and Resign Regal Academy in Benin City, Edo State, were arraigned before Justice Akintayo Aluko, on a four-count charge of conspiracy, unauthorised access into the company’s web-based platform known as Application Programming Interface (API) and unlawful conversion.

The duo, who pleaded not guilty, and others at large, allegedly committed the offence between January and April this year, in Lagos and Edo states.

Prosecution counsel Justine Enang, alleged that the defendants conspired and accessed the telco’s Application Programming Interface (API) and obtained data from the said application, which they used to defraud MTN to the tune of N1.9 billion.

He informed the court that the alleged illegal act contravened Section 27(1)(b); 6(2) and 28(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (prohibition, prevention, etc) Act, 2015 as amended in 2024, but punishable under Section 8(2) of the same Act.

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He added that the offences contravened section 18(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention And Prohibition) Act, 2022, punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.

The two defendants pleaded not guilty to the four counts charge.

The prosecutor asked for a trial date and urged the court to remand them in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) till the determination of the charge.

But the defence lawyers informed the court that they had filed their clients’ bail applications.

Justice Aluko adjourned till August 5 for hearing of the defendants’ bail applications.

The charges against the defendants read: “That you, Timothy Fashina Oluwabukola, Anthony Imonina Odemerho and others at large, between January and April, 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired amongst yourselves to intentionally and without authorization, gained access into MTN Nigeria Communications Plc computer system/network, with intent to obtain data from the said computer system/network, which you subsequently used to defraud the company (MTN) to the tune of One Billion, Nine Hundred Million Naira (N1,900,000,000), and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 27(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (prohibition, prevention, etc) Act, 2015 as amended in 2024, but punishable under Section 8(2) of the same Act.

“That you, Timothy Fashina Oluwabukola, Anthony Imonina Odemerho and Others at large, between January and April, 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, intentionally and without authorization, accessed the computer system or network of MTN Nigeria Communication Pie through the unlawful use of authorization keys and passwords to gain access to MTN web-based platform known as Application Programming Interface (API), with intent of obtaining airtime data from the said computer system or network, valued at One Billion, Nine Hundred Million Naira N1, 900, 000, 000), which you sold to the public and converted the proceeds of same to your own use and benefit, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 6(2) of the Cybercrime (prevention, prohibition, etc) Act, 2015 is amended in 2024,

“That you, Timothy Fashina Oluwabukola, Anthony Imonina Odemerho and thers at large, between January and April, 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, unlawfully manipulated MTN Nigeria Communications Plc (MTN) computer system authorization keys or passwords which you used to access MTN. web-based platform also known as Application Programme Interface (API) and fraudulently obtained airtime from the said computer system, valued at N1,900,000,000 (One billion, Nine hundred Million Naira) which you later converted to data and sold to the public and thereby caused financial loss to MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 28(1)(b) of the cybercrime (prohibition, prevention, etc) Act, 2015 as amended in 2024, but punishable under Section 28(4) of the same Act.

“That you, Timothy Fashina Oluwabukola, Anthony Imonina Odemerho and hers at large, between January and April, 2024, in Lagos and Edo States, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, directly and intentionally converted MTN Nigeria Communications Plc property to wit: airtime valued One Billion, Nine Hundred Million Naira (N1, 900, 000, 000) to data which you sold to members of the public and later used the proceeds for your own benefits, which property/airtime, you knew or reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful act, namely unauthorized access into MIN computer system/network where the property/airtime was stored, and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 18(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (prevention and prohibition) Act, 2022 but punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”

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Enugu Air Launches New Website

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…moves online services to www.enuguairlines.ng

Enugu Air has announced the launch of its new official website, enuguairlines.ng, as part of efforts to provide passengers and customers with a better, safer and more convenient digital experience.

The airline said the migration to the new website is designed to improve how passengers connect with Enugu Air and access its services online, including flight bookings, schedules and the latest updates.

Announcing the development, the airline said: “We’ve moved! We’re innovating! We’ve migrated to a better, safer and convenient website to connect you to the world.”

Passengers can now access Enugu Air’s online services through its new web address, enuguairlines.ng, which the airline described as its new digital home.

The airline urged passengers and prospective travellers to save the new web address and use it for flight bookings, checking schedules and obtaining the latest information about its operations.

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“Same Enugu Air. New web address,” the airline stated, emphasising that the change represents an improvement in its digital platform while retaining the Enugu Air brand and services.

The airline further encouraged customers to visit, www.enuguairlines.ng for all flight-related information and online services.

It further stated that the old website, enuguairlines•com has been discarded and no longer in use.

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Kidnapped female Police officer found dead in Ebonyi

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A kidnapped female police officer has been found dead in Ebonyi State after a suspected member of a kidnapping syndicate was arrested and led police operatives to the scene where her remains were recovered.

The Nigeria Police Force disclosed this in its state-by-state operational update issued by Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters, Ani Iniedu on Monday, detailing several arrests, rescues and recoveries recorded across the country between September 19 and 20, 2026.

According to the police, the suspect was arrested following a sustained intelligence-led and technology-based investigation into the kidnapping of the female officer.

The suspect reportedly led combined police teams to the crime scene, where the remains of the officer were recovered.

The police said the case is being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki.

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In a separate operation in Adamawa State, police operatives rescued two kidnapped victims from a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in Shako Forest, Toungo Local Government Area.

The operation, carried out on September 20 following actionable intelligence, also led to the recovery of two magazines containing 10 rounds of 7.62×39mm live ammunition.

A National Identification Number (NIN) card, mobile phone, passport and chain were also recovered from the suspected hideout.

In the Federal Capital Territory, police arrested 334 suspects during coordinated raids on criminal hotspots, black spots and uncompleted buildings across several locations.

The operation, conducted on September 19, also resulted in the recovery of various quantities of substances suspected to be illicit drugs.

Meanwhile, police in Anambra State arrested a suspected child trafficker who was allegedly intercepted while travelling with a six-month-old baby boy.

The baby was recovered and handed over to the appropriate authorities for necessary action, according to the police.

In Kaduna State, four suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate were arrested following intelligence-led operations.

Police said the suspects confessed to their alleged involvement in kidnapping and provided information about fleeing accomplices. A locally made Dane gun was recovered.

Another suspected kidnapping syndicate member was arrested at Soba Market in the state. Police said the suspect also confessed and gave information implicating five fleeing accomplices.

In Ogun State, police arrested a suspect linked to a fatal shooting incident in Isara, Remo North Local Government Area.

One single-barrel gun, one live cartridge and one expended shell were recovered during the operation.

In Imo State, a suspect was arrested during a raid on a suspected criminal gathering at Nekede, Owerri West Local Government Area, with police recovering a locally made cut-to-size single-barrel gun.

Police in Ekiti State also arrested two suspects linked to multiple shop-breaking and stealing incidents in Ado-Ekiti and recovered suspected stolen iron rods.

In another operation in Ado-Ekiti, police recovered an abandoned white sack containing a pump-action gun loaded with two live cartridges and a locally made single-barrel gun from a farmland.

In Benue State, police tactical teams, supported by personnel of the Police Mobile Force and military, intervened in a renewed communal conflict at Akpa-Mbakor Community in Tarka Local Government Area.

The security teams dispersed the rampaging youths and restored normalcy in the area, according to the police.

In Oyo State, police arrested a truck driver allegedly involved in a fatal road traffic incident along the Ijebu-Ode/Idi Ayunre Road.

The truck was impounded for further inspection and investigation.

The police said all the cases remain under investigation by the respective State Criminal Investigation Departments.

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UK excludes Nigerian, Ghanaian-trained teachers from teaching qualification list

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Teachers trained in Nigeria and Ghana are no longer eligible to apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England under the United Kingdom’s overseas-trained teacher application route.

The change took effect on September 9 and means teachers trained in the two West African countries can no longer use the route to obtain QTS, a status recognised by many schools in England.

The UK Department for Education said countries included in the scheme must meet specific requirements to ensure that applicants’ qualifications, professional standing and teaching experience can be properly verified. One of the requirements is that a country must have a national regulator capable of confirming a teacher’s professional status and providing authenticated references.

According to the department, Nigeria and Ghana did not meet the reference-verification requirement.

“Our data shows that more than 70% of applications from teachers in Ghana and Nigeria include work history references that use public email addresses, such as Gmail or Hotmail, rather than a school’s official email domain. This means assessors spend additional time and resources trying to verify information provided in applications,” the department said.

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The UK department said about 90 percent of applications are assessed within 12 months.

India was also removed from the eligible list because it does not have a national regulator capable of confirming teachers’ professional standing.

South Africa is now the only African country remaining on the list of countries whose teachers can use the QTS application route.

The department said the verification process was necessary to ensure that information provided by applicants was genuine and that teachers awarded QTS possessed the required skills and experience to teach in England.

To apply for QTS, overseas-trained teachers must have a valid passport, an undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree and professional recognition as a teacher in the country where they trained.

Applicants must also have completed any mandatory induction requirements needed for full teacher registration in their country of qualification.

They are required to demonstrate that they are qualified to teach children aged between five and 16 and have at least nine months of teaching experience gained after qualifying as a teacher.

Applicants must also provide employment references that verify their work history and use an email address linked to the school’s official domain.

Depending on the country where a teacher trained, additional requirements may include qualifications to teach pupils aged between 11 and 16 and a specialism in subjects such as mathematics, science, biology, chemistry, physics, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, Russian or Spanish.

However, because teachers in England are employed by individual schools rather than the Department for Education, schools may consider alternative routes into teaching.

The department said teachers who are no longer eligible to use the QTS application service can explore other routes into teaching in England.

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