- Safiu Kehinde
No fewer than 82 suspected internet fraudsters were arrested in January, the Nigeria Police Force says.
The suspects were, according to a statement issued on Thursday by the Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, arrested over various financial and cyber related crimes including internet fraud, romance scams, identity theft, cryptocurrency fraud, transnational fraud, and several other cyber offences.
Operatives attached to the National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC) of the Force reportedly carried out the arrest across the nation in a significant crackdown on cyber-related crimes.
According to Adejobi, the operations highlighted the commitment of the Nigerian Police Force, under the leadership of IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM., to the Action Plan and the zeal of redeeming the reputation of the country, and taking the country out of the FATF Grey List.
Some of the suspects were paraded during a press briefing held today at the NPF-NCCC.
The suspects were allegedly linked to several fraud schemes that has defrauded individuals and organizations within and outside the country.
Among these cases is the arrest of two individuals, Saidu Adam Usman ‘m’, and Yusuf Umar ‘m’, in connection with the creation and distribution of compromised financial accounts used to facilitate fraudulent transactions amounting to over N400 million.
Adejobi narrated how the suspects created several online banking accounts to carry out their fraudulent activities.
“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.
“Upon completion of the KYC process, the suspects would change the passwords to secure them for their unknown foreign contractor.” He wrote.
The Police spokesperson also pointed out the significant arrest of one Rabiu Aliyu Salisu AKA Rabo, involved in identity theft, computer-related fraud, and money laundering.
“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.
“Following a filed petition for criminal defamation, cyberstalking, cyberbullying, and falsehood, the Force also secured the arrest of one Idowu Smart Emmanuel, who eventually admitted to his crimes and confessed that his allegations were false.” Adejobi stated.
The Force Public Relations Officer, however, cautioned against the inappropriate use of social media for the perpetration of crimes such as fraud, defamation and cyberstalking.
He reiterated that 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.
Members of the public are advised to exercise extreme caution when engaging in online transactions and ensure adequate verification of the legitimacy of operators before conducting large financial dealings.