Police launch manhunt for 2 suspects over leakage of classified documents

The police high command says its operatives are trailing one David Hundeyin and his accomplice, one Michael Temidayo Alade for allegedly leaking some classified documents, which it said is against the Official Secret Act. It explained that the duo are accomplices of Bristol Isaac popularly known as PIDOMNigeria’s on X (formerly Twitter), who was arrested […]

The police high command says its operatives are trailing one David Hundeyin and his accomplice, one Michael Temidayo Alade for allegedly leaking some classified documents, which it said is against the Official Secret Act.

It explained that the duo are accomplices of Bristol Isaac popularly known as PIDOMNigeria’s on X (formerly Twitter), who was arrested recently by the operatives attached to the Nigerian Police National Cybercrime Centre.

Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force spokesman, who disclosed this at Force Headquarters, Abuja on Tuesday, said PIDOM was arrested following a petition from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation against his activities.

PIDOM, who had been in a police detention facility since early August when he was arrested by the operatives, was accused of leaking classified and restricted documents, fraud, sedition and tax evasion among others.

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Speaking at the briefing, Adejobi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, said PIDOM was arrested to protect national security and maintain public order, adding that the suspect had also illegally accessed police-restricted document data.

The senior police officer explained, “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. 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.

When our reporter asked Adejobi to clarify if the police are on the trail of Hundeyin and Alade, he 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.”

Adejobi also said the police would arrest more people who had sponsored a subversion-like EndBadGovernance protest which was held early August.