The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun., PhD, NPM., has reaffirmed the capabilities and expertise of the Nigeria Police Force in tackling cybercrimes and protecting cyberspace in Nigeria and beyond.
The IGP made this known in a Press statement issued and made available to Journalists on Monday by the Force Public Relations Officer ( FPRO) DCP, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, while commending the Police operatives attached to Zone 7 command and the National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC) Abuja for bursting a group of foreign Nationals involved in a series of cybercrime, including internet fraud and marketing scams
The statement noted that the suspects were arrested on the 3rd of November 2024 in Jahi, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that during the investigation, operatives of the NPF-NCCC recovered a vast array of digital critical evidence, believed to be instrumental in the syndicate’s cybercrime operations.
According to the statement, “The recovered items include 1 Black Toyota Tundra vehicle, laptops of different makes, smartphones of various brands, tablets, desktops, computers and keyboards, Harman/Kardon sound system, MTN routers, Huawei routers, Airtel routers, D-Link routers, Starlink routers, Gamepads, 1 Sony PlayStation 5, a central processing unit, multiple SIM cards from both local and international service providers, high-capacity servers, drones and specialised cyber equipment, international passports, identity cards, and travel documents.”
Adejobi further highlighted that “these assets recovered are suspected to have been used in executing a range of cybercrime activities, including unauthorised data breaches, marketing scams, and other cybercrime activities, stressing that the scale and sophistication of the operation underscore the increasing global threat posed by cybercriminal syndicates operating across borders.”
The FPRO stated that, “As a follow-up to the investigation and recoveries, compiled with credible evidence against the suspects, adding that the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arraigned the 113 foreign nationals facing serious charges, including computer-related fraud, unlawful access to data, marketing scams, money laundering, conspiracy, and illegal immigration, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.”
The arraignment of these suspects, according to the statement, follows extensive investigations that have uncovered the alleged involvement of these individuals in criminal activities spanning cybercrime, immigration offences, and human trafficking networks.
Accordingly, the IGP assured that “the Nigeria Police Force will continue to work closely with international law enforcement agencies and embassies to track and prosecute cybercriminals, combat cybercrime and other forms of transnational criminal activity, and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable under Nigerian law.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, while reaffirming the commitment of the Force to leverage the emerging technological advancement to protect the citizens of Nigeria both physically and in the digital space, further reiterates that the Force is well-dedicated and well-equipped to combat cases of cybercrime in the country.
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