The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has dismantled three major cybercrime syndicates operating across different parts of the country, arresting 13 suspects linked to alleged international online fraud, identity theft and cryptocurrency investment scams.
The operations, which also led to the recovery of luxury vehicles, digital devices, financial records and other incriminating exhibits, were carried out as part of the Police’s intensified crackdown on organised cybercrime and its growing collaboration with international law enforcement agencies.
Addressing journalists, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Okokon, said the coordinated operations underscore the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to tackling sophisticated cybercriminal networks and protecting both local and foreign victims of online fraud.
The first operation targeted a suspected international cyber-enabled fraud hub in Asaba, Delta State, following intelligence provided by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) through the British High Commission in Abuja.
Police operatives executed a court-authorised search and arrest operation on July 4, 2026, leading to the arrest of six suspects identified as Roland Stephen, Oligoron Francis Brakemi, Obasi Obinna Benjamin, Obasi Chris Chibueze, Ogbuzuru Destiny and Osakwe Chidima.
According to the Police, the suspects allegedly operated a sophisticated fraud syndicate that impersonated internationally recognised personalities online to deceive and defraud foreign victims.
During the operation, investigators recovered a Mercedes-Benz GLK sport utility vehicle, 11 mobile phones, a laptop computer, a tablet, a wristwatch, a Starlink satellite dish and a Wi-Fi router.
Preliminary forensic analysis, according to the Police, uncovered evidence allegedly linking the suspects to online impersonation and other cyber-enabled fraudulent activities targeting victims outside Nigeria.
In a separate operation codenamed Operation Seraphim, the NPF-NCCC worked jointly with the City of London Police to dismantle a transnational cybercrime network allegedly involved in identity theft, cryptocurrency fraud and the trafficking of stolen personal and financial information through Telegram.
Investigators said intelligence gathered during the operation identified a network of 24 suspected cybercriminals operating across 434 Telegram chat groups, with several members traced to Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The operation resulted in the arrest of Daniel Andrew Sopuruchi, Josephine Lawal, Emmanuel Ifeanyi Ike and David Emeka Chimuanya, while the alleged kingpin, David Augustine, described as a dual Nigerian-Ghanaian citizen, remains on the run.
Police said investigations revealed that the syndicate specialised in stealing and trading sensitive personal and financial information belonging primarily to citizens of the United Kingdom.
Recovered exhibits included Telegram accounts linked to the suspects, stolen identity documents, driving licences, credit card information, online banking credentials and digital evidence relating to cryptocurrency transactions, PayPal activities, gift card fraud, romance scams and other fraud-related Telegram channels.
Authorities said efforts are continuing to track down the fleeing suspects and dismantle the remaining members of the international cybercrime network.
In the third operation, the NPF-NCCC uncovered what it described as a sophisticated cryptocurrency investment scam in which suspects allegedly impersonated representatives of the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and falsely claimed endorsement by renowned economist Yemi Kale to lure unsuspecting investors.
Police arrested Thomas Daniel alongside two Chinese nationals, Zhu Tian Yu and Qu Yuan Bin, while another suspect identified simply as Nandi is being hunted as the alleged mastermind of the scheme.
According to investigators, victims were recruited through a WhatsApp group known as “Stock Risk Control Center”, where they were persuaded to invest large sums of money in what was presented as a legitimate investment opportunity.
The Police alleged that approximately ₦29.81 million was fraudulently obtained from victims before being converted into USDT cryptocurrency and transferred to digital wallets controlled by the principal suspect and his associates.
Items recovered during the operation include mobile phones, laptop computers, cryptocurrency wallet addresses, Telegram communications, Kuda Bank account records, transaction histories, audio recordings and other digital evidence allegedly documenting the movement of stolen funds and the transfer of account credentials.
Okokon said investigations into the three cases are ongoing, adding that the Nigeria Police Force is working to apprehend all fleeing suspects, identify additional collaborators and ensure that everyone found culpable is prosecuted in accordance with the law.
