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.”
The PUNCH reports 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.