Police Apprehend Hacker Who Breaches National Security, Name David Hundeyin as Accomplice in Cybercrimes Charges

The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has apprehended an anonymous hacker, Bristol Isaac Tamunobifiri, whom it alleges operates under the X handle @pidomnigeria, as suspects in connection with alleged criminal conspiracy, offences against the Official Secrets Act, leakage of classified ‘restricted’ documents, acts likely to cause breach of public peace, sedition, fraud, and tax evasion.

Journalist and social critic David Hundeyin, along with Michael Temidayo Alade, has also been named in connection with these crimes.

According to the police, both Hundeyin and Alade are alleged accomplices in the illegal access and leaking of sensitive documents and similar activities that could jeopardise Nigeria’s security networks.

Addressing newsmen, on Tuesday, at the Force Headquar­ters, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejo­bi, said the arrest of the suspect is aimed at protecting national security.

He also stated that the effort is to maintain public order, identify and apprehend those engaged in criminal activities threatening the stability of the nation.

According to him, “The com­plaint, filed by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), alleged that an anonymous blogger using the Twitter handle @pidomnige­ria published and distributed a re­stricted document on a sensitive matter of national security.

“A discrete investigation was initiated to identify those respon­sible for the leakage, which led to the identification of Bristol Isaac Tamunobifiri, Michael Temidayo Alade, and David Hundeyin as suspects in connection with the alleged crimes.

“The principal suspect, Bristol Isaac Tamunobifiri, was appre­hended at a hotel in Port Harcourt on Saturday, 5th August 2024, by NPF-NCCC detectives, and in an attempt to resist arrest, the suspect locked himself in a hotel room, smashed his phone, and flushed it down the toilet in an effort to destroy evidence.

“He also refused to surrender his phone’s password, claiming he had forgotten it, thereby con­cealing information.”

ACP Adejobi further stressed that “subsequent investigations, after his arrest, revealed several suspicious activities between the principal suspect and his accom­plices.

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Investigations also revealed that the suspect was responsible for leaking a sensitive restricted document generated from the office of the President to the Sec­retary of the Government of the Federation.

“The suspect had also illegal­ly accessed police-restricted data and posted directives from the of­fice of the Inspector-General of Police, and many other restricted documents with the aim of jeop­ardising the security network in Nigeria.

“It has also been established that the suspect also raised funds through anonymous means to sponsor cyberterrorism and other related crimes. Evidence of this was derived after critical forensic analysis of the suspect’s crypto wallet transactions.”

However, the Inspector-Gener­al of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Force to main­taining peace and also reiterated that the Nigeria Police Force re­mains vigilant to take swift and severe action against any indi­vidual or group threatening the country’s stability, ensuring they face the full force of the law.

The IGP also assured mem­bers of the public that further investigations will continue to uncover all facets of this conspira­cy. The suspect has, however, been charged to court and remanded.