The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has dismantled three major cybercrime syndicates, arrested 13 suspects and recovered vehicles, digital devices and other exhibits linked to alleged international fraud, identity theft and cryptocurrency investment scams.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Okokon, disclosed this during a press briefing, saying the operations formed part of the NPF-NCCC’s sustained efforts to combat organised cybercrime and strengthen international law enforcement collaboration.
In the first operation, police operatives dismantled a suspected international cyber-enabled fraud centre in Asaba, Delta State, following intelligence received from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) through the British High Commission in Abuja.
According to the police, operatives executed a court-authorised search and arrest operation on 4 July 2026, leading to the arrest of six suspects identified as Roland Stephen, 28; Oligoron Francis Brakemi, 34; Obasi Obinna Benjamin, 23; Obasi Chris Chibueze, 24; Ogbuzuru Destiny, 20; and Osakwe Chidima, 22.
The suspects are alleged to have operated an organised cyber-enabled fraud scheme involving the online impersonation of internationally recognised personalities to defraud foreign victims.
Recovered exhibits include a Mercedes-Benz GLK SUV, 11 mobile phones, a laptop, a tablet, a wristwatch and a Starlink satellite dish with a Wi-Fi router. Preliminary forensic examinations reportedly uncovered evidence of online impersonation and other cyber-enabled fraudulent activities targeting foreign nationals.
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The second operation, codenamed Operation Seraphim, was carried out jointly by the NPF-NCCC and the City of London Police to dismantle a transnational cybercrime network allegedly involved in identity theft, cryptocurrency fraud and the sale of stolen personal and financial information through Telegram.
Police said investigations identified a network of 24 threat actors operating across 434 Telegram chat rooms, with several members traced to Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Four suspects — Daniel Andrew Sopuruchi, 23; Josephine Lawal, 41; Emmanuel Ifeanyi Ike, 27; and David Emeka Chimuanya, 30 — were arrested, while the alleged ringleader, David Augustine, a dual Nigerian-Ghanaian citizen, remains at large.
Investigators recovered Telegram accounts linked to the suspects, stolen personally identifiable information, including driving licences, credit card details, identity cards and online banking credentials. They also recovered digital evidence relating to cryptocurrency trading, gift card transactions, PayPal activities, romance scams and fraud-related Telegram groups.
Police said the syndicate specialised in trafficking stolen personal and financial information belonging mainly to citizens of the United Kingdom, adding that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining members of the network.
In the third operation, police uncovered an alleged high-yield investment and cryptocurrency fraud scheme in which suspects reportedly posed as representatives of the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and falsely claimed endorsement by renowned economist Yemi Kale to lure investors.
Three suspects — Thomas Daniel, Zhu Tian Yu and Qu Yuan Bin, the latter two being Chinese nationals — were arrested, while a suspect identified simply as Nandi is being sought as the alleged mastermind.
Investigations revealed that victims were recruited through a WhatsApp group known as “Stock Risk Control Center” and persuaded to invest substantial sums in the fraudulent scheme.
According to the police, about ₦29.81 million was allegedly obtained from unsuspecting investors before being converted into USDT cryptocurrency and transferred to digital wallets linked to the principal suspect and other collaborators.
Recovered exhibits include mobile phones, laptop computers, Telegram communications, cryptocurrency wallet addresses and transaction records, Kuda Bank account records, audio recordings and other digital evidence showing the transfer of account credentials and cryptocurrency transactions.
Okokon said investigations into all three cases remain ongoing as the Nigeria Police continues efforts to apprehend fleeing suspects, identify additional collaborators and prosecute all those found culpable.
