The Nigeria Police Force has said a discreet investigation
revealed that an investigative journalist, David Hundeyin, and one Michael
Alade are Bristol Isaac, aka PIDOMNigeria’s accomplices.
PIDOMNigeria was accused of leaking classified and
restricted documents, fraud, sedition, and tax evasion among others.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, the Force
Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said PIDOM was arrested following a petition from
the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Adejobi added that when operatives of the National
Cybercrime Centre stormed PIDOM’s hotel, he resisted arrest, locked himself up, destroyed his phone, and
flushed it down the toilet.
He said, “The operatives of the Nigerian Police National
Cybercrime Center have apprehended an anonymous hacker in connection with
alleged criminal conspiracy, offences against the Official Secret Act, leakage
of classified and restricted documents, acts likely to cause a breach of the
public peace, sedition, fraud, and tax evasion.
“The discreet investigation was initiated to identify those
responsible for the leakage, which led to the identification of Bristol Isaac,
Michael Temidayo Alade, and David Hundeyin who are suspects in connection with
the alleged crimes.
“The principal suspect, Bristol Isaac, was apprehended at a
hotel in Port Harcourt by National Cybercrime Center detectives in an attempt
to resist arrest.”
He added, “The suspect locked himself in the hotel room,
smashed his phone, and flushed it down the toilet to destroy evidence. He also
refused to surrender his phone’s password, claiming he had forgotten it,
thereby concealing information. Subsequent investigations after his arrest
revealed several suspicious activities between the principal suspect and his
accomplices.
“It has also been established that the suspect also raised
funds through anonymous means to sponsor cyber terrorism and other related
crimes.
“Evidence of this was derived after critical forensic
analysis of the suspect’s crypto wallet transactions. The Inspector General of
Police, IG Kayode Egbetokun, has reaffirmed the commitment of the force to
maintaining peace and also reiterated that the Nigerian police force remains
vigilant to take strict and severe action against any individual or group
threatening the country’s stability, ensuring they face the full force of the
law.”
Adejobi also said the suspect had also illegally accessed
police-restricted document data.
He said, “Investigations also revealed that the suspect was
responsible for leaking a sensitive restricted document generated from the
Office of the President to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
“The suspect had also illegally accessed police-restricted
document data and posted directives from the Office of the Inspector General of
Police and many other restricted documents to jeopardize the security network
in Nigeria.
“The complaints filed by the Office of the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation alleged that an anonymous blogger using the
Twitter handle at PIDOM Nigeria published and distributed a restricted document
on a sensitive matter of national security. “
Adejobi said PIDOM’s arrest was to protect national security
and maintain public order.
He stated, “So the Nigerian Police National Cybercrime
Center has done well in this regard to identify this man and subsequently
apprehended the man. To protect national security, maintain public order, and
identify and apprehend those engaged in criminal activities threatening the
stability of our nation.”
When asked to clarify if the police are on the trail of
Hundeyin and Alade, Adejobi said,” I’m sure they are working assiduously to see
how they can get them. Perhaps they must have sent an invitation letter to
them. Or they must have contacted them one way or the other. I don’t know the
plan the team has.
“But I’m sure since they have fingered them, they want to
interrogate them for further action. The police will do the needful to make
sure everyone involved in such crimes will be brought to book after thorough
interrogation and investigation.”
Recall that Hundeyin raised the alarm on X over the
disappearance of PIDOM.
He shared screenshots of messages from an unidentified associate of PIDOM who informed him about the PIDOM’s plight.
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