On Monday, September 2, the Nigeria Police Force reported that PIDOM, whose real name is Bristol Isaac, locked himself in a hotel room, destroyed his phone, and attempted to flush it down the toilet when police operatives arrived to arrest him.
The police had been investigating PIDOM after the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation accused him of leaking a restricted document related to national security. PIDOM, who used the X (formerly Twitter) handle “PIDOM Nigeria,” was also accused of fraud, sedition, and tax evasion.
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, explained the situation on Monday, September 2. He said, “The operatives of the Nigerian Police National Cybercrime Center apprehended an anonymous hacker in connection with alleged criminal conspiracy, offenses against the Official Secret Act, leakage of classified and restricted documents, acts likely to cause a breach of public peace, sedition, fraud, and tax evasion.”
The investigation revealed that PIDOM was responsible for leaking sensitive documents and engaging in other illegal activities. When police operatives arrived at his hotel in Port Harcourt, he tried to resist arrest by locking himself in his room, smashing his phone, and attempting to flush it down the toilet. He also refused to provide his phone’s password, claiming he had forgotten it.
Following his arrest, the police found evidence linking PIDOM to various suspicious activities and illegal funding for cybercrimes. Forensic analysis of his crypto wallet transactions revealed these connections.
Inspector General of Police, IG Kayode Egbetokun, reaffirmed the commitment of the police to maintaining national security and public order. He emphasized that the Nigerian Police Force is dedicated to taking strong action against anyone threatening the country’s stability.
Adejobi added that PIDOM had also illegally accessed and leaked restricted police documents. The police are continuing to investigate and are working to identify and apprehend other suspects involved in these crimes.
