Police Bust Trio in Tuition Fee Scam Targeting Students

The Kaduna Police Command have apprehended three individuals involved in a tuition fee scam targeting students of Kaduna State University (KASU). The suspects, identified as Muhammad Uthman Busari, AbdulAzeez Hamza, and Noel Nims Audiya, were notorious for defrauding unsuspecting students through cyber schemes.

According to ASP Mansir Hassan, the spokesperson for the police command, the suspects, who operated cyber cafes, exploited the students’ registration portal. They took advantage of those opting to pay their tuition fees online, diverting funds from the official payment platform. Hassan revealed that the fraudsters collected full tuition fees from students but deposited a lesser amount into the state’s Treasury Single Account (TSA). They then intercepted and manipulated electronic transaction receipts to indicate complete payment.

“The suspects have swindled over 300 KASU students, totaling approximately N6 million. The primary suspect, Muhammad Uthman Busari, utilized the ill-gotten gains to build and furnish a house, purchase a car, acquire electronic appliances, gadgets, and plots of land in Kaduna and Kwara states. The suspects have been promptly charged to court,” stated Hassan.

In response to the growing threat of cybercrime, Commissioner of Police A.D. Ali announced the establishment of a dedicated unit to investigate such offences. The newly formed cybercrime unit aims to curb computer-related crimes within the state.

Commissioner Ali urged victims of various cybercrimes, including social media account hacking, fake purchase alerts, deceptive social romance, cryptocurrency/forex frauds, and other related offences, to report their complaints to the Commissioner of Police through the newly established unit.