The Nigeria Police Force on Thursday says it arrested 82 suspects in January for cybercrime and related crimes across the country in a sweeping clampdown on internet crimes.
The police busted the suspects for “various financial and cyber related crimes including internet fraud, romance scams, identity theft, cryptocurrency fraud, transnational fraud, and several other cyber offences,” the force said in a press briefing at its National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) in Abuja.
The Nigeria Police Force’s National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC) detained 32 suspects in operations targeting schemes such as romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and money laundering, according to a statement signed by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer.
The Police explains that “the suspects created Moniepoint profiles using pre-registered SIM cards and email addresses and then distributed to local accomplices across different states for KYC verification, fraudulently obtaining Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) and KYC details from individuals.”
The force, under the leadership of IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, says it has been intensifying its operations as part of its Action Plan to “take the country out of the FATF Grey List,” a status imposed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
The FATF Grey List identifies jurisdictions with “strategic deficiencies” in combating money laundering and terrorist financing. According to FATF, as of October 2024, 137 countries and jurisdictions were reviewed, with 112 publicly identified as having weak anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) measures. Of these, 85 have made the necessary reforms and been removed from the process.
During the briefing, police officials “paraded some suspects linked to several fraud schemes that have defrauded individuals and organisations within and outside the country.”
Among the arrests were two individuals, Saidu Adam Usman ‘m’ and Yusuf Umar ‘m’, taken in connection with “the creation and distribution of compromised financial accounts used to facilitate fraudulent transactions amounting to over four hundred million naira (₦400 million).”
The Police explains that “the suspects created Moniepoint profiles using pre-registered SIM cards and email addresses and then distributed to local accomplices across different states for KYC verification, fraudulently obtaining Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) and KYC details from individuals.”
In another case, police arrested Rabiu Aliyu Salisu, also known as Rabo, who is accused of identity theft, computer-related fraud, and money laundering. Authorities allege that “the suspect had fraudulently assumed the identity of an American citizen, presenting himself as Matthew Ramsey, and defrauded one Deborah Woods, an American national, of $597,000.” The operation also led to the arrest of Idowu Smart Emmanuel following a petition for “criminal defamation, cyberstalking, cyberbullying, and falsehood,” with Emmanuel later confessing that his allegations were false.
The Nigeria Police Force cautions against the misuse of social media for crimes such as fraud, defamation, and cyberstalking. “The Force remains committed to identifying and curtailing cybercriminals and syndicates, ensuring that those involved in cyber-related crimes face the full weight of the law,” the statement reads.
The Police advises members of the public to “exercise extreme caution when engaging in online transactions and ensure adequate verification of the legitimacy of operators before conducting large financial dealings.”
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