POLICE FOIL $4m, N400m CYBER & CRYPTO FRAUD, ARREST 9 SUSPECTS
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The operations, conducted by the National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC) led by CP Ifeanyi Henry Uche and the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) in Lagos, resulted in the arrest of nine suspects and the recovery of both local and foreign currencies fraudulently obtained.
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, provided details on the cases.
₦400 Million Fraud Network: Two suspects, Saidu Adam Usman and Yusuf Umar, were arrested for creating and distributing compromised financial accounts used for fraudulent transactions amounting to over ₦400 million. They were reportedly recruited via Telegram by a foreign cybercriminal.
Usman created financial profiles with pre-registered SIM cards and email addresses.
Umar conducted fraudulent Know Your Customer (KYC) verifications, fraudulently obtaining Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs).
The duo confessed to receiving payments in cryptocurrency and face prosecution at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
$4 Million Oil Industry Fraud: The NPF-NCCC uncovered a transnational crime syndicate targeting global oil trading firms. The syndicate, led by Marine Gold Oil Refineries Limited and others, operated across Nigeria, China, and the U.S.
Dr. David Emmanuel Udensik (aka Dr. Jacob Bello) from Akwa Ibom was arrested for generating fraudulent intelligence reports and forging NNPCL documents.
Engr. Isaac Jerome Oyakhilome, CEO of Marine Gold Oil, was also apprehended for facilitating multimillion-dollar fraud schemes.
Cryptocurrency Scam ($86,000): Operatives arrested Solomon Chidiebere Akunyalam (24) for draining a victim’s crypto wallet by phishing through a deceptive WhatsApp conversation.
Facebook Account Hijacking Syndicate: Two suspects, Irhene Efe Wealth (25) and Irhene Godstime (21), were arrested in Abuja for stealing Facebook accounts of foreign nationals and selling them to cybercriminals.
Document Forgery and Fraudulent Digital Tools: Nelson Olamide Bosun (26) was arrested in Lagos for operating an online platform selling cyber-deception tools for fraud, including fake bank transactions and cryptocurrency wallet hacks.
₦234 Million Forex Fraud: Salisu Awal, posing as a Bureau De Change operator, fraudulently obtained N234 million from a Chinese national under the pretense of converting it to dollars.
Defamation and Cyberbullying Case Involving Naira Marley: Idowu Smart Emmanuel was arrested for false allegations against music artist Naira Marley.
Romance Scam ($597,000): Rabiu Aliyu Salisu (alias Rabo), 27, was apprehended for defrauding an American national of $597,000 under a false identity as “Matthew Ramsey.”
Authorities recovered ₦55 million, assets worth ₦370 million, electronic devices, and eight BMW vehicles suspected as crime proceeds.
The Police cautioned against social media misuse for fraud and cyberstalking and urged the public to verify operators’ legitimacy before engaging in significant financial transactions.
In January 2025, the NPF-NCCC arrested 32 suspects, while the SFU in Lagos secured 52 arrests, totaling 84 suspects. The operations align with IGP Kayode Egbetokun’s mission to restore Nigeria’s international reputation and remove the country from the FATF Grey List.
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