The Airport Police Command, in collaboration with other security agencies, has arrested a suspected international fraudster, Abraham Akpojisheri, for unlawful possession of 783 MTN SIM cards.
Akpojisheri, 29, from Abraka, Delta State, was intercepted by eagle-eyed Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel at the local wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Terminal 2, Ikeja, Lagos, on June 24, 2025. He was attempting to board a local flight to Asaba when he was apprehended and handed over to the airport police.
According to a statement released on June 26 by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Daramola Kazeem, the suspect confessed to being part of an international syndicate involved in identity theft and large-scale cyber fraud. The group specializes in stealing personal data and images to create fake online profiles, targeting unsuspecting victims through impersonation.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Akpojisheri had returned to Nigeria from South Africa on the same day via TAG Angola airline and was in possession of the SIM cards allegedly sourced from South Africa. The suspect claimed he intended to use them to hack into CARD EAS systems linked to global financial accounts.
During interrogation, he admitted to using Facebook to lure victims, creating multiple fake email accounts under various foreign identities to pose as a forex trader. He reportedly convinced victims, particularly in the United States, to invest in bogus forex schemes, defrauding at least 10 individuals of tens of thousands of dollars.
He further disclosed that he was trained in these illicit operations by an associate identified as “Okiemute,” based in Ukraine. Investigators believe Akpojisheri is part of a wider criminal network with operational ties in Ukraine, South Africa, and other countries.
Airport Commissioner of Police, CP Olufunke Adeayo Ogunbode, PhD, who took over the case, assigned a tech-savvy special unit to dig deeper into the suspect’s activities. Upon confrontation with digital evidence, the suspect made a full confession.
CP Ogunbode commended the inter-agency collaboration and praised the officers for resisting a bribe attempt by the suspect. She assured the public that the suspect will be prosecuted and warned that the command remains committed to stamping out cybercrime and other illicit activities at the nation’s airports.
“The suspect will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of the investigation. We are also intensifying efforts to apprehend his accomplices,” she said.
She further advised young people to stay away from criminal acts, particularly around airports, warning that anyone caught will face the full weight of the law.
