Politics
Police arrest seven suspects, trace ₦3.6bn in six major cybercrime investigations
The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre has arrested seven suspects in six separate investigations spanning business email compromise, investment fraud, identity theft, sextortion, impersonation and alleged property fraud.
The investigations uncovered more than 12.5 million victim email records linked to over 50 countries, while more than ₦3.6 billion was traced through accounts allegedly connected to an international investment fraud and money laundering network.
Briefing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the NPF-NCCC, Akaninyene Ezima, said the cases reflect the growing scale and sophistication of cyber-enabled crime and the Police Force’s efforts to disrupt both the perpetrators and the financial channels used to move suspected criminal proceeds.
One of the investigations, codenamed Operation Broken Mask, led to the arrest of David Adeyemi Temitope at his residence in Megamound Estate, Lekki, Lagos, on July 20.
Police said the investigation began after a February 17 preservation request concerning an Internet Protocol address allegedly linked to a sophisticated Business Email Compromise operation.
Investigators identified Temitope through subscriber checks, Bank Verification Number verification and other investigative processes before the operation was authorised by the Inspector-General of Police on June 23.
Digital devices recovered during a search of his residence were subjected to forensic examination, which police said uncovered more than 12.5 million victim email logs involving people in over 50 countries, including Canada, Germany, the United States, India, France and the Netherlands.
According to the NPF-NCCC, the suspect allegedly obtained phishing kits from a vendor on Telegram and used them to compromise Microsoft 365 login credentials belonging to employees of targeted companies.
Police said his BVN was linked to accounts maintained with six financial institutions and fintech platforms, while a Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC 43 suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of crime was recovered.
Investigators estimate that the suspect generated more than ₦100 million from the alleged criminal enterprise.
Police said a prima facie case of computer-related fraud, Business Email Compromise and identity theft has been established against him and that he will be arraigned before the Federal High Court when the court resumes from vacation.
In another investigation, the Cybercrime Center arrested Kelechi Sistus Ihekaire, sole proprietor of Kestart Technology, over an alleged international cyber-enabled investment fraud and money laundering operation.
The investigation followed a petition alleging that victims were induced to invest through a fraudulent WhatsApp-based stock trading platform promising high returns.
Police said the complainants transferred a cumulative ₦56.29 million into designated accounts between March 25 and April 22 before they were prevented from withdrawing their funds.
Investigators traced ₦23.6 million to JPM Enterprise Trading, ₦18.49 million to Ahmad Digital Business and ₦14.2 million to JPM Pro Online Venture.
The investigation subsequently identified Kestart Technology as an alleged terminal off-ramp for funds associated with the syndicate.
According to police, reconstruction of Kestart Technology’s account with Save Heaven Microfinance Bank between October 30, 2025 and May 31, 2026 showed total terminal cash-out inflows and outflows of approximately ₦3.62 billion.
Investigators further alleged that about ₦3.62 billion in suspected criminal proceeds was converted into Tether, or USDT, through Bybit peer-to-peer transactions, complicating efforts to trace and recover the funds.
Ihekaire was arrested in Lagos on August 13.
Police said he admitted owning Kestart Technology and engaging in peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trading on Bybit, while further checks with the Corporate Affairs Commission and banking records confirmed him as the business’s sole proprietor and operational signatory.
He is expected to be arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges under the Money Laundering Act, Cybercrimes Act and Advance Fee Fraud Act.
The NPF-NCCC said it will also pursue legal processes for the final forfeiture of funds placed under lien and associated cryptocurrency assets, with a view to facilitating restitution to victims where applicable.
A separate investigation in Anambra State led to the arrest of Emeka Egba Anthony, 28, and Ogboji Solomon Emeka, 29, following a complaint that the identity of a senior civil servant had been stolen and used to impersonate him on WhatsApp and Facebook.
The suspects were arrested on August 4 following technical intelligence and sustained investigation.
Police said 24 registered and 33 unregistered MTN SIM cards, 26 registered and 18 unregistered Airtel SIM cards, and an MTN toolkit were recovered from Anthony.
Investigators said Anthony admitted being a registered toolkit operator and trading in registered and unregistered SIM cards. He also allegedly admitted creating a social media profile using the identity of “Catherine Harry”, purportedly a United Kingdom citizen, with the intention of defrauding people in India.
The second suspect allegedly admitted trading in registered SIM cards obtained from a supplier in Kano State.
Police said prima facie cases relating to identity theft and the trading of pre-registered SIM cards have been established and both suspects will be charged before the appropriate court.
The Cybercrime Center also announced the arrest of Abdulwajeed Abdullahi, accused of operating a false online identity known as “Captain Junaid” to carry out romance scams, sextortion and blackmail.
The investigation followed a July 28 petition from a woman who said she was contacted on TikTok on June 18 before the conversation moved to WhatsApp and developed into an online romantic relationship.
Police alleged that the suspect persuaded the woman to send intimate photographs and videos before demanding US$3,000 on July 18 and threatening to release the materials if she refused to pay.
Investigators subsequently identified other alleged victims, including a woman who reportedly lost ₦3.5 million and another from whom the suspect allegedly received US$1,500 under the guise of foreign exchange trading.
Using open-source intelligence and other investigative techniques, police traced the “Captain Junaid” account to Abdullahi in Kano State, where he was arrested on August 4.
Forensic examination of devices recovered from him allegedly revealed intimate photographs and videos belonging to multiple women, alongside forged academic certificates and identity cards bearing his photograph under different names.
Police said Abdullahi confessed to beginning romance scam activities in January and admitted using the identity, photographs and publicly available materials of a Saudi pilot identified as “Captain Abdullahi Rajhi” to build the false persona.
He also allegedly told investigators that some photographs and videos used in the impersonation scheme were obtained from Telegram groups.
In another case, the NPF-NCCC arrested 40-year-old Paulsurplus Yohanna, a former employee of a foreign national resident in Abuja, over the alleged theft and attempted sale of land title documents belonging to his former employer.
Yohanna was arrested on August 13 following intelligence received by the Center.
Police said several land title documents allegedly belonging to his former employer were found in his possession.
Preliminary investigation indicated that the suspect’s employment ended in January 2026 and that he subsequently allegedly sold one of the employer’s properties in the Kagini area of Abuja.
Investigators also alleged that he duplicated the key to his employer’s office, forged land documents and sold a Toyota RAV4 belonging to the employer for ₦25 million.
Police said efforts are underway to trace the proceeds of the alleged transactions and recover other properties and documents, while investigators work to identify anyone else who may have participated in or benefited from the transactions.
Yohanna remains in police custody as the investigation continues.
The sixth investigation involved Babatunde Olamilekan Idowu, also known as “CSP Bamiseye”, who police accused of impersonating a senior police officer and participating in a scheme through which a victim was allegedly defrauded of ₦17 million.
According to the NPF-NCCC, the case began after Abass Musibau Ajisafe sought to lodge a petition against an individual identified as Alhaji Odugbemi and contacted the suspect.
Police alleged that Idowu subsequently contacted the victim while posing as a Commissioner of Police attached to the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja.
Other members of the alleged syndicate, who remain at large, reportedly posed as the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Police said the victim was eventually defrauded of ₦17 million.
Idowu was arrested in Ekiti State and, according to investigators, confessed to the offence.
The NPF-NCCC said the suspect has a history of police impersonation and was previously known as “Ebora SARS” around Ikorodu, Lagos State and surrounding areas.
AIG Ezima warned members of the public to verify the identities of people who contact them by telephone claiming to be police officers or other government officials.
He also warned cybercriminals that the use of encrypted platforms, cryptocurrency and false identities would not shield them from investigation.
The Center said it is strengthening its capacity in digital forensics, open-source intelligence, network analysis, financial investigation and cryptocurrency tracing, while expanding cooperation with domestic and international law-enforcement partners.
Police also urged the public to exercise caution when approached by strangers seeking romantic relationships online, avoid sending intimate photographs or sensitive personal information to unverified individuals, and scrutinise investment platforms promising unusually high or guaranteed returns.
Members of the public were further advised to protect passwords, banking information and Bank Verification Numbers, and to verify links and online platforms before accessing them.
The NPF-NCCC said its strategy is increasingly focused not only on identifying and arresting suspected cybercriminals but also on tracing and disrupting the financial infrastructure through which suspected criminal proceeds are moved and concealed.
The Centre says investigations into the cases are continuing, while suspects against whom prima facie cases have been established will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
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(Editor: Roluke Ogundele)
