Seven notorious Boko Haram terrorists have surrendered to troops of the Multinational Joint Taskforce in Borno State.
A statement on Wednesday by the Chief Military Information Officer of the MNJTF, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba said the effort was facilitated by Multinational Joint Task Force, operating under Sector 3 Mongunu.
According to the statement, the terrorists who have been operating in the Damasak axis of the state laid down their arms to embrace peace.
The statement reads in part, “In a significant breakthrough in the fight against terrorism in the Lake Chad Region, troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), operating under Sector 3 Mongunu, have successfully facilitated the surrender of 7 suspected notorious Boko Haram terrorists with large cache of arms who have been active in the Damasak axis of Borno State, Nigeria.”
He said, “The suspected Boko Haram terrorists identified as Mallam Baba Ibrahim (19), Malam Bamai Ali (20), Mallam Jundu Ali (19), Mallam Abba Ali (25), Mallam Abubakar Mohammed (20), Tijjani Ali (20 yrs) and Mallam Ali Mommudu (25) voluntarily turned themselves into MNJTF troops at Walada village in Damasak after sustained offensive operation by own troops.”
Recovered items
He stated that suspected terrorists confessed to having been involved in numerous terrorist activities across Northern Borno.Related News
“They expressed their exhaustion with the conflict,though they previously feared they will be killed if they surrendered,” he added.
“The substantial arms cache and equipment surrendered by the suspected terrorists included 2 RPG tubes, 4 RPG bombs, an AK-47 rifle, an HK 21 German machine gun, and 8 empty magazines. Additionally, they handed over 2 horses, 30 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 715 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 51 NATO rounds, 12 mobile phones, 6 small solar panels, 2 bandoliers, and 4 knives, among other items. The former insurgents are now providing valuable intelligence to the MNJTF.”
Recovered arms
Osoba urged other terrorists to follow suit and surrender their arms in exchange for peace.
“The MNJTF wishes to encourage other terrorists to take this opportunity to surrender as laying down arms is a crucial step towards achieving lasting peace in the Lake Chad Region,” he said
He reiterated the MNJTF’s commitment to dismantling terrorist networks and restoring stability throughout the area.
Desperate bids by some drug trafficking organisations (DTO) to move illicit consignments such as Cocaine, Tramadol, Loud, Molly and others concealed in prayer beads, packs of board games, female cloths to the United States of America, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Poland, and United Arab Emirates through logistics firms and the Lagos airport have been thwarted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.At least, two suspects behind some of the aborted missions at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos have already been arrested. One of them is a 43-year-old businesswoman, Jakpor Egware May who was nabbed at the Gate ‘C’ departure hall of the Lagos airport while attempting to board an Air France flight to Italy on Saturday 8th March 2025.When she was searched, 190 parcels of tramadol 225mg and another parcel of skunk, a strain of cannabis, were recovered from her luggage. In her statement, she claimed that she bought the drugs herself, with the intention to resell them in Italy.At the export shed of the Lagos airport, NDLEA officers on Tuesday 11th March arresteda 60-year-old suspect, Yahaya Fatai Ayinla, while attempting to ship a cargo containing cloths used to conceal 400grams of skunk going to New York, United States of America.
At some logistics companies in Lagos, efforts by drug traffickers to export over two kilograms of Loud, Molly, Tramadol 365mg, 225mg hidden in Vitamin C bottles and female cloths to the US were frustrated by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI. Other shipments of 230grams of cocaine concealed in prayer beads, soles of locally made shoes and packs of board games heading to Saudi Arabia, Poland and UAE were equally intercepted between Monday 10th and Wednesday 12th March.In Kano, a total of 727 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 479kg were recovered from a 40-year-old suspect Hassan Haruna who was arrested by NDLEA operatives at Chalawa area of the state on Wednesday 12th March, while no fewer than 58,300 pills of tramadol were intercepted along Kabba-Obajana highway, Kogi state in a commercial bus coming from Lagos enroute Abuja on Tuesday 11th March.Raid operations in Kachia, Kaduna state on Thursday 13th March led to the arrest of Idris Hamza, 21, with 4,900 pills of tramadol 225mg seized from him, just as a similar exercise in Hayin Banki area of Kaduna North LGA, on Friday 14th March resulted in the arrest of 25-year-old Aminu Magaji from whom 2,900 tablets of tramadol 225mg were recovered. While a total of 40, 200 tablets of tramadol 225mg were recovered from the duo of Olowoko Faruk and Akeem Ridwan along Ilorin – Jebba expressway, Bode Saadu, Kwara state on Friday 14th March, NDLEA operatives equally seized 21,700 capsules of same opioid from a suspect Salisu Usman along Eiyenkorin expressway, Ilorin on Thursday 13th March.In Taraba state, NDLEA officers on Friday 14th March arrested Polycarp Adeku, 35, at Bente road, Kurmi LGA, with 15.77Kg skunk, while in Osun state, operatives on Thursday 13th March, intercepted a commercial bus marked SGB 564 YS coming from Idumota, Lagos Island in front of King University, Ode-omu, with a total of 48.7kg Ghanaian Loud, Colorado and Canadian Loud, all strains of cannabis. Not less than nine suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizure in Osogbo and Ile-Ife during follow up operations.A 58-year-old suspect Ade Esan (aka Pastor) was on Tuesday 11th March arrested along Gwagwalada expressway, FCT Abuja with 27,800 pills of tramadol 225mg, while another suspect Usman Mohammed, 26, was nabbed same day with various quantities of skunk and cocaine at Wuse zone 3 area of Abuja. In Abia state, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 15th March raided the Ntigha community, Isiala-Ngwa North LGA, where a 34-year-old suspect Chinaza Nwogu (aka Young Money) was arrested with 274grams of heroin, 141grams of methamphetamine, 2.931kg of cannabis sativa, 4grams of cocaine and Seven Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand, Fifteen Naira (N753,015.00) monetary exhibit.Meanwhile, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of U.P.E school, Ilara Epe, Lagos; Government Day Secondary School, Jigalambu, Michika, Adamawa state; Agbegi High Grammar School, Dekina, Kogi state; Capital City Secondary School, Awka, Anambra state; and Eso-Obe Comprehensive High School, Ikoro Ekiti, Ekiti state, among others.While commending the officers and men of MMIA, DOGI, Kano, Kwara, Kaduna, Taraba, Abia, Osun, and FCT Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated. Femi BabafemiDirector, Media & AdvocacyNDLEA Headquarters, AbujaSunday 16th March 2025 NDLEA intercepts US, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Italy-bound cocaine, opioid shipments in prayer beads, others. Arrests 2 suspects; recovers large consignments of skunk, heroin, opioids in Kano, Kwara, Kaduna, Taraba, Abia, Osun, and FCT raidsDesperate bids by some drug trafficking organisations (DTO) to move illicit consignments such as Cocaine, Tramadol, Loud, Molly and others concealed in prayer beads, packs of board games, female cloths to the United States of America, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Poland, and United Arab Emirates through logistics firms and the Lagos airport have been thwarted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
At least, two suspects behind some of the aborted missions at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos have already been arrested. One of them is a 43-year-old businesswoman, Jakpor Egware May who was nabbed at the Gate ‘C’ departure hall of the Lagos airport while attempting to board an Air France flight to Italy on Saturday 8th March 2025.When she was searched, 190 parcels of tramadol 225mg and another parcel of skunk, a strain of cannabis, were recovered from her luggage. In her statement, she claimed that she bought the drugs herself, with the intention to resell them in Italy.At the export shed of the Lagos airport, NDLEA officers on Tuesday 11th March arresteda 60-year-old suspect, Yahaya Fatai Ayinla, while attempting to ship a cargo containing cloths used to conceal 400grams of skunk going to New York, United States of America. At some logistics companies in Lagos, efforts by drug traffickers to export over two kilograms of Loud, Molly, Tramadol 365mg, 225mg hidden in Vitamin C bottles and female cloths to the US were frustrated by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI. Other shipments of 230grams of cocaine concealed in prayer beads, soles of locally made shoes and packs of board games heading to Saudi Arabia, Poland and UAE were equally intercepted between Monday 10th and Wednesday 12th March.In Kano, a total of 727 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 479kg were recovered from a 40-year-old suspect Hassan Haruna who was arrested by NDLEA operatives at Chalawa area of the state on Wednesday 12th March, while no fewer than 58,300 pills of tramadol were intercepted along Kabba-Obajana highway, Kogi state in a commercial bus coming from Lagos enroute Abuja on Tuesday 11th March.Raid operations in Kachia, Kaduna state on Thursday 13th March led to the arrest of Idris Hamza, 21, with 4,900 pills of tramadol 225mg seized from him, just as a similar exercise in Hayin Banki area of Kaduna North LGA, on Friday 14th March resulted in the arrest of 25-year-old Aminu Magaji from whom 2,900 tablets of tramadol 225mg were recovered. While a total of 40, 200 tablets of tramadol 225mg were recovered from the duo of Olowoko Faruk and Akeem Ridwan along Ilorin – Jebba expressway, Bode Saadu, Kwara state on Friday 14th March, NDLEA operatives equally seized 21,700 capsules of same opioid from a suspect Salisu Usman along Eiyenkorin expressway, Ilorin on Thursday 13th March.In Taraba state, NDLEA officers on Friday 14th March arrested Polycarp Adeku, 35, at Bente road, Kurmi LGA, with 15.77Kg skunk, while in Osun state, operatives on Thursday 13th March, intercepted a commercial bus marked SGB 564 YS coming from Idumota, Lagos Island in front of King University, Ode-omu, with a total of 48.7kg Ghanaian Loud, Colorado and Canadian Loud, all strains of cannabis.
Not less than nine suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizure in Osogbo and Ile-Ife during follow up operations.A 58-year-old suspect Ade Esan (aka Pastor) was on Tuesday 11th March arrested along Gwagwalada expressway, FCT Abuja with 27,800 pills of tramadol 225mg, while another suspect Usman Mohammed, 26, was nabbed same day with various quantities of skunk and cocaine at Wuse zone 3 area of Abuja. In Abia state, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 15th March raided the Ntigha community, Isiala-Ngwa North LGA, where a 34-year-old suspect Chinaza Nwogu (aka Young Money) was arrested with 274grams of heroin, 141grams of methamphetamine, 2.931kg of cannabis sativa, 4grams of cocaine and Seven Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand, Fifteen Naira (N753,015.00) monetary exhibit.Meanwhile, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of U.P.E school, Ilara Epe, Lagos; Government Day Secondary School, Jigalambu, Michika, Adamawa state; Agbegi High Grammar School, Dekina, Kogi state; Capital City Secondary School, Awka, Anambra state; and Eso-Obe Comprehensive High School, Ikoro Ekiti, Ekiti state, among others.While commending the officers and men of MMIA, DOGI, Kano, Kwara, Kaduna, Taraba, Abia, Osun, and FCT Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.
Barely three weeks after launching a manhunt for him, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested an automobile spare parts dealer Levi Chidiebele Ubodoeze over a recent attempt to export two kilograms of cocaine concealed in vehicle propellers to Angola.Following the seizure of the cocaine consignment at a logistics company in Aspanda, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos on 21st February 2025, swift contacts were made with Angolan authorities who in turn arrested the supposed recipient of the illicit drug in Angola, after which the identity of the sender was unraveled.As a result, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 6th March tracked Ubodoeze to his house in Ago palace way area of Isolo, Lagos where he was caught in a KIA Sport Utility Vehicle trying to escape. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a large quantity of phenacetin, a cutting agent for cocaine weighing 75.50 kilograms packaged and branded as semolina, while a digital scale used in weighing illicit drugs was recovered from his house. In his statement, Ubodoeze admitted dealing in cocaine while selling motor spare parts at Ladipo market, Mushin area of Lagos.
He stated that the supposed recipient of the illicit consignment in Angola alerted him the moment he was arrested in Angola hence his bid to evacuate his house and flee from the area shortly before NDLEA officers swooped on him.Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos have intercepted a cargo of cannabis candies imported from the United Kingdom and meant for sale at a Kiddies Mart, located at 46 Ogunlana drive, Surulere, Lagos.The consignment was seized on 27th February upon its arrival as a consolidated cargo on Allied Airways. Preliminary field test and subsequent forensic analysis of the candies established that the substance was laced with a strong strain of cannabis. As a result, the recipient of the shipment, Adedamola Taylor, was arrested on Tuesday 4th March after initial arrest of a freight agent.In his statement, Adedamola claimed the consignment was sent to him by his UK-based brother Babatunde Alabi, to deliver to one Musurat Lawal, who operates the Kiddies shop owned by Alabi in Surulere area of Lagos.
A follow up operation at the shop led to the arrest of Musurat. Two suspects: China Michael and Igbo Ekene were arrested on Friday 7th March when their commercial truck was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Shibiri area of Ojo, Lagos. A search of the vehicle revealed 248 compressed blocks of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 128kg, were concealed in the underbelly of the truck.In another interdiction operation in Lagos, three suspects: Osinachi Nwachukwu; Tochukwu Okafor Christian and John Ugochukwu Mbakwe were on Friday 7th March arrested at Mosalasi junction, Mushin, with 301,600 pills of tramadol and other opioids.In Kano, 65-year-old Yahaya Haruna was nabbed with 19.2kg skunk along Gadar Tamburawa road on Thursday 6th March while 60-year-old Musa Bello (a.k.a Jajere) was arrested with 212 bottles of codeine-based syrup at Medile, Kumbotso local council area.No fewer than 442,594 pills of tramadol and other opioids as well as 1,274 bottles of codeine syrup were recovered by NDLEA operatives who raided the house and warehouse of a 37-year-old suspect, Blessing Okoronkwo at 19 Ubani Street, Aba, Abia state on Tuesday 4th March.
In Benue state, 50,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were recovered from two suspects: Nwaeze Onyeabor, 47, and Tombo Thomas, 23, on Wednesday 5th March when their vehicle was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Ugbema junction, Katsina Ala area of the state.In Osun state, a suspect, Asimiyu Muibi, 50, was arrested on Tuesday 4th March with 162kg skunk at Modakeke, Ife East local government area while 95kg of same substance was recovered from a Toyota Camry car marked KSF 72 GW during a raid in Ede same day.A suspect, Etim Esien Stephen, 55, was arrested when NDLEA officers on Wednesday 5th March raided the Amahor community forest, in Igueben area of Edo State where 9,514.625kg skunk was destroyed on 3.805846 hectares of cannabis farm land. With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Model High School, Amaechi, Enugu; Bengy Secondary School, Agege, Lagos; Sunshine Secondary School, Nku Udo Eno, Akwa Ibom; and Government Day Secondary School, Dong, Adamawa state, among others.While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Abia, Benue, Osun and Edo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.
The police in Lagos, weekend, arrested three suspects alleged to specialize in forging international bank cheques by impersonating foreign celebrities. The suspects: Innocent Odumosor, 27, Ajie Samuel Chukwudi, 31, and Godwin Divine, 19, were arrested at their residence in Lagos after detectives attached to Anti-Corruption Unit, Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos recieved intelligence reports about their criminal activities with other members of the syndicate based abroad.The ring leader of the syndicate, Innocent Odumosor lives in a four bedroom flat at Ocean Freeze Estate, Ologoro, Ikate, Lagos while his second in command, Ajie lives at Star Times Estate, Ago Palaace Way, Lagos.Both the ring leader of the syndicate and his second in command reportedly confessed to have made about N400m each since they started the fraudulent business in 2021.
It was learned that during interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime and gave vivid details of their criminal exploits, which involves impersonating notable foreign celebrities and defrauding Bank of America of millions of dollars. According to their ringleader, Innocent Odumosor, a graduate of the University of Cross Rivers State, we buy ‘tools’ from Xeet.com, which we use in commiting the crime. According to him, tools work as software and we buy from the site.”It works with the software of different foreign banks. We clone cashier cheques and contact other members of the syndicate overseas to source for foreign accounts where they can log in the cheques. “The victim unknowingly cash the cheque and send it to the account our syndicate will provide.
The victims are randomly chosen and engaged in long chats before we strike. We normally load the account, and the victim will be chatting with any member of the syndicate resident abroad.”Police investigation uncovered that after they received proceeds of their latest exploits on March 28th, 2025, the ring leader acquired a Mercedes 223 GLE valued at N250m while his second in command also bought Mercedez GLE 221 worth N150m. Share of the third suspect is said to still be cooling off in his bank in Nigeria.
The ring leader said that he graduated in 2019 and started internet fraud in 2021. According to him, I learned how to do it through online and websites like: Xeet.PW and Monove.com. I specialize in loading of foreign bank accounts by buying loading tools from different websites such as Olux.TO, Monove.com, and Cheap.com at different prizes ranging from $10 to $100. I get different foreign bank accounts from other members of the syndicate and I load money into the account. The foreign banks are mostly in USA. We share proceeds of our loot 50/50. The latest transaction I had with Ajie eas that of $350,000 cash cheques from Bank of America and the beneficiary is Babara Franks. I got $150,000 as part of my share using my Access bank and it came to be N230m.
I used part of it to buy Mercedes GLE worth N120m and used the remaining to take care of myself, my family, and my music career. I use my I-Phone 16 Promax and Labtop to do the deals. I pay N10m for my four bedroom flat at Ocean Based Estate at Ikate.”The second in command, Ajie Samuel aka Pappy, a native of Delta State and a Mechanical Engineering graduate from Cross Rivers University said he got $50,000 from their deal stating that he was a middle man during negotiations. It was gathered that detectives are collaborating with the International police with a view to rounding up other members of the criminal syndicate based abroad and that they have already confiscated international passports of the suspects.
They are also said to be beaming their seachlight on all the banks connected with the activities of the suspects with a view to ascertaining if there is internal connivance or not. When contacted, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Adegoke Fayoade confimed the arrest of the suspects stating that investigations are still on.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested nine individuals suspected of engaging in internet fraud in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
According to a statement released on Tuesday by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the arrests were made at two locations — Sunnyville Estate in Lokogoma and Open Heaven Estate, in Dawaki.
During the operation, law enforcement officers seized several items, including four luxury cars, laptop computers, iPads, and mobile phones, which are believed to have been used in fraudulent activities.Related News
“EFCC, have arrested nine suspected internet fraudsters in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“They were arrested on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at Sunnyville Estate in Lokogoma and Open Heaven Estate in Dawaki areas of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
“Items recovered from them include four high-end cars, laptop computers, iPads, and phones. They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” the statement said.
The Bauchi State Police Command has apprehended a 50-year-old businessman on suspicion of culpable homicide after a domestic altercation led to the death of his 24-year-old second wife.
In a statement released on Sunday, the command’s spokesperson, CSP Ahmed Wakil, revealed that the incident occurred in the Fadaman-Mada area of Bauchi during an argument over food supplies and fruits intended for breaking the Ramadan fast.
“Reports indicate that the argument escalated, leading to the husband allegedly striking his wife with a cane.
“She reportedly collapsed and lost consciousness within their home. “Authorities rushed the victim to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, where medical personnel pronounced her dead,” he said.
Wakil further disclosed that officers had recovered the cane allegedly used in the assault, and the deceased’s body was placed in the mortuary, pending an autopsy.
He added that the Commissioner of Police, Auwal Musa, assured the public of the command’s commitment to delivering justice and addressing cases of domestic violence with the seriousness they deserve.
“The Police Command remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens while holding perpetrators of criminal acts accountable,” he stated.
A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded in Zamfara State as Zarah Abubakar Shehu, a 21-year-old student of Federal University Gusau, died in a bandits’ camp four months after being kidnapped, despite her family paying a ransom for her release.
According to counter-insurgency expert Zagozola Mama, Zarah, a 300-level student, was abducted along with her two siblings from their home in the Damba area of Gusau in the early hours of Sunday, November 3, 2024.
The kidnappers initially demanded ₦35 million for their release but later reduced the amount to ₦10 million after negotiations.
Despite receiving the ransom, the bandits refused to free Zarah and her siblings, insisting on an additional payment of four motorcycles (Boza) and four cartons of engine oil.
After months of desperate efforts, the family managed to gather the items. But when the kidnappers’ leader was informed, he contacted his men, who delivered the devastating news — Zarah had died and was buried two days earlier.
The young student, the only daughter of her mother, endured four months in captivity before her tragic death, leaving her family and community in mourning.
Due to series of complaints emanating from Ogwashi-uku circulating on WhatsApp and other social media platforms of incessant kidnapping and armed robbery in the area, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda has directed the Deputy Commissioner of police operations, DCP Aina Adesola to deploy tactical teams to Ogwashi-Uku,In compliance with this directive, deployments of combat operatives were drawn from Dragon Patrol, Eagle-Net, and Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and posted to various nipping points in Ogwshi-Uku.In the same vein, the command’s Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber-Crime Squad (SAKCCS) has been mandated to relocate to Ogwashi-Uku and to embark on intelligence-driven policing to ensure that all suspected kidnappers and armed robbers carrying out these nefarious activities are arrested and brought to justice.
In addition to these deployments, operatives of the State Intelligence Department (SID) have been directed to embark on undercover policing duties and intelligence gathering in the area.The CP reaffirms and assures residents in the state of the Command’s commitment to providing security for all and ensuring that the entire state is safe.Members of the public are urged to go about their lawful business while monitoring their environment and report any suspicious person or movement to the Police.The police equally provided dedicated telephone lines 08036684974, 08114895600 and 08025666914 for report of any criminal activities.
A joint operation between the Nigeria Police Force and the National Police Agency of Japan has led to the arrest of 11 suspects involved in identity theft, romance scams, and computer-related fraud targeting Japanese victims.
The crackdown followed a report received on April 3, 2024, detailing five cybercrime cases linked to 13 individuals operating from Nigeria.
A statement on Monday by the NPF spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed that the NPF National Cybercrime Centre, in collaboration with Nigeria’s National Central Bureau and NCB Tokyo, launched an extensive investigation that led to the arrests.
“The Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with the National Police Agency of Japan, has strengthened efforts to combat cybercrime. A press briefing at the NPF-NCCC highlighted the effectiveness of this international partnership, which led to the arrest of 11 suspects involved in identity theft, romance scams, and other cyber-related fraud,” Adejobi stated.
According to him, the investigation uncovered a network that used social media platforms, particularly Instagram, to lure victims into fraudulent romantic relationships.Related News
He said the victims were deceived into transferring funds via wire transactions, which were later converted into cryptocurrency and funnelled into digital wallets in Nigeria.
Adejobi said, “The subsequent investigation led to the apprehension of eleven individuals and unveiled an extensive network that exploited social media platforms, particularly Instagram, to lure unsuspecting victims into fraudulent romantic relationships. Victims were duped into transferring funds through wire transactions, which were eventually converted into cryptocurrency and funnelled to various digital wallets in Nigeria. “
Adejobi said operatives had so far recovered $33,320 from the suspects, with ongoing efforts to trace and retrieve additional stolen funds while dismantling the syndicate.
He said, “The preliminary stages of the investigation yielded the recovery of $33,320, with ongoing efforts to reclaim additional stolen funds and dismantle the entire syndicate responsible for these crimes.”
The police in zone 5 with headquarters in Benin City, Edo state, under the able leadership of AIG Arungwa Nwazue, has declared two men, Christopher Nduka Odiakose and Leonnard Happy a.k.a.Tilome wanted in connection with conspiracy, murder in Oguwashuku, Delta state.
The zone Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Superitendent of Police, SP, Tijani disclosed that the office of the AIG will reward anyone who would give useful information that could lead to the arrest of the two men, the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira ( N500,000). He however enjoined members of the public to do so with utmost caution as “the men are dangerous”.
