EFCC arrests a digital satellite broadcast scammer in Kano

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday confirmed the arrest of a suspected digital satellite broadcast scammer, Tope Ajayi, in Kano.

The commission said Ajayi was picked up last Friday by the operatives of the EFCC from his apartment at 26, Link Bawo Road, in Hausawa, Kano, following intelligence report.

A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the commission, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said over 100 decoders and other computer gadgets were recovered from his server room during a search on his apartment.
The statement said: “Ajayi, who claimed to have worked with Skye Bank Plc, is said to be a major digital satellite broadcast scammer.

“He is alleged to have a server that links up with a server in China and an unknown Internet Service Provider (ISP) somewhere in Europe or the United States of America.”

The EFCC said the suspect was also alleged to be “engaged in illegal importation, selling and distribution of pirated devices popularly known as Dungle which enables subscribers to have free access to Multichoice satellite signals across West and Central Africa.”

The statement added: “According to Mr. Frikkie Jonker, Senior Anti-Piracy Manager, Multichoice, Ajayi’s server is considered strong as it controls its counterpart server in China and distributes satellite signals to a host of West African and Central African countries, including Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya Uganda and Benin Republic .

“It was also revealed that the suspect had been extracting control words from Multichoice cards in Nigeria and sending same to a server in China which is connected to an ISP server placed somewhere in Europe or America.

“Jonker, who expressed his gratitude to the EFCC for the arrest, described the scam as one of the biggest in recent times.

“Ajayi will be arraigned in court when investigation is concluded.”

The Nation