Joint Operation Leads To Arrest Of 11 Cybercrime Suspects And Recovery Of $33,320

A collaborative effort between the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the National Police Agency of Japan has resulted in the arrest of 11 individuals involved in identity theft, romance scams, and computer-related fraud targeting Japanese victims.

The operation was initiated following a report received on April 3, 2024, detailing five cybercrime cases linked to 13 suspects operating from Nigeria. In a statement released on Monday, NPF spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi confirmed that the NPF National Cybercrime Centre, in conjunction with Nigeria’s National Central Bureau and NCB Tokyo, launched a comprehensive investigation that led to the arrests.

“The Nigeria Police Force, in partnership with the National Police Agency of Japan, has intensified efforts to combat cybercrime. A press briefing at the NPF-NCCC highlighted the success of this international collaboration, resulting in the apprehension of 11 suspects involved in various forms of cyber fraud,” Adejobi stated.

The investigation revealed a network that exploited social media platforms, particularly Instagram, to deceive victims into fraudulent romantic relationships. Victims were misled into transferring funds via wire transactions, which were subsequently converted into cryptocurrency and funnelled into digital wallets in Nigeria.

Adejobi reported that the investigation has so far recovered from the suspects, with ongoing efforts to trace and reclaim additional stolen funds while dismantling the criminal syndicate.

“The preliminary stages of the investigation have yielded the recovery of , and we are actively working to recover more stolen funds and dismantle the entire syndicate responsible for these crimes,” he added.