Cybercrime: Why DSS arrested Kaduna-based social media influencer, Abubakar Muhammad, popularly known as Sarki Sultan
Facts have emerged as to why the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested Kaduna-based social media influencer, Abubakar Muhammad, popularly known as Sarki Sultan.
A top security source revealed on Saturday night that Sultan was arrested on September 27 2025 at Layin Dan-Masani, Rigachikun in Igabi Local Government Area, following a formal complaint that he used phishing social media accounts to harass and extort a citizen. According to the source, Muhammad allegedly created fake accounts with the handles
@OZugwai40986 on X (formerly Twitter) and @Zugwai75 on Instagram, which he used to threaten the complainant and demand payment through a crypto wallet and a Point of Sales (POS) account. The complainant, who feared for her life and that of her family, also accused Sultan of using other catfish accounts to lure her to an undisclosed location, raising suspicion of a kidnap attempt. The source disclosed that Sultan deleted the accounts when he realised the DSS was closing in on him, but cyber experts of the Service were able to recover them from his phone. He added that investigators found digital footprints, payment evidence and conversations linking him directly to the alleged cybercrime, which will be presented in court. The suspect reportedly confessed to the cybercrime while pleading for out-of-court settlement. The source stressed that Sultan’s arrest had no political undertone erroneously reported on social media, insisting that the Service was only concerned with safeguarding ordinary citizens from online criminals. “This is purely a cybercrime case. The Service is interested in protecting citizens, not politics,” the security source said. Nevertheless, Sultan’s arrest has sparked a wave of reactions on social media, with some of his supporters claiming political persecution, while others backed the DSS, saying the evidence must be tested in court. Arrangements were ongoing to arraign Sarki Sultan before a competent court on Monday on charges of cybercrime, extortion and threats to life.
