In recognition of its outstanding performance and dedication, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC) has been awarded the title of the Best Cybercrime Unit in Africa for 2024 by the INTERPOL Cybercrime Directorate based in Singapore, securing the top position among 54 participating African countries.
In the year 2024, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC) successfully recovered N8,821,001,881.80 (Eight Billion, Eight Hundred and Twenty-One Million, One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-One Naira, Eighty Kobo), 115,237.91 USDT, and $84,000 (Eighty-Four Thousand Dollars).
These achievements according to ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relationsf Officer said reflects the dedication of the Nigeria Police Force to fighting cybercrime and enhancing the safety of citizens in the digital space.
In furtherance to efforts towrads keeping the cyberspace safe, operatives of the NPF-NCCC have apprehended 4 suspects identified as Douglass Victor ‘m’, Egbo Efe Martins ‘m’, Lucky Adesunloye ‘m’, and Ndifreke Joseph Moody ‘m’, for various cyber-related offences.
Following an intelligence-led investigation into the activities of a cybercrime syndicate operating on the dark web, on the 20th of December 2024, operatives of the NPF-NCCC apprehended a key suspect identified as Douglass Victor ‘m’, in connection with crimes involving identity theft, business email compromise (BEC), computer-related fraud, and money laundering.
The syndicate, led by one Diepreye Samuel ‘m’, specializes in compromising business emails to defraud companies and divert funds for personal use, targeting prominent companies globally to perpetrate their crimes.
During interrogation, the suspect confessed to customers’ email addresses and passwords, compromising business conversations, and diverting funds to their syndicate. Thousands of compromised email credentials and login details were recovered from his Skype account.
The suspect further disclosed that the syndicate operates internationally, with members located across the globe. Communication and transactions among the members are conducted exclusively through Skype, making their operations highly elusive. Efforts are currently in top gear to track and apprehend the head of the syndicate and other members who remain at large.
The Nigeria Police Force reiterates its commitment to combating cybercrime, dominating the cyberspace and ensuring that all perpetrators face the full weight of the law. The public is urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies promptly.
Operative of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centres has arrested one Egbo Efe Martins, form Ughelli south, Delta State, 26 years old , for facilitating cybercrime by fraudulently opening and renting bank accounts used by cybercriminals to receive funds from a WhatsApp hacking syndicate.
Egbo used his girlfriend’s personal information to open multiple accounts with a large digital bank in Nigeria and rented them to cybercriminals. The cyber criminals hack WhatsApp accounts belonging to prominent Nigerians, including Senators and Ministers, to solicit funds from their contacts under false pretences.
Upon investigation, Egbo admitted knowing the accounts would be used for fraud but claimed he believed the victims were foreigners, despite receiving all payments in Naira. He takes his cut of the proceeds before transferring the rest to his clients. Egbo has been charged with Criminal Conspiracy, Impersonation, and Computer-Related Fraud, contrary to Sections 27(1), 22(2), and 14(2) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024 as amended.
Efforts are on top gear to locate and apprehend ever members of the WhatsApp hacking syndicate
A BRIEF OF A CASE OF COMPUTER RELATED FRAUD AND UNLAWFUL HACKING OF WHATSAPP
SUSPECT: (1) Chinedu Godswill Israel ‘M’ Age 20 Yrs,
(2) Lucky Adesunloye ‘M’ Age 34 Yrs
(3) Ndifreke Joseph Moody 'M' Age 27 Yrs
FACT: On Tuesday 4th June, 2024 at about 12:49 PM, the Center received a petition from one Mallam Yasir Hassan Isah stating that he was contacted on his Whatsapp by one of his old time friend and business associate requesting him to send some amount of money. He then went ahead to do so without calling for confirmation.
But after he had sent the sum of twenty-four million naira (N24,000,000.00k) in tranche, and more demand to send more money were coming, he then called his friend to confirm why such demands were made but his calls were not answered until the second day being 5th June 2024. It was then he got to know that the WhatsApp of his friend had been hacked.
Upon receipt of the petition, the center began investigation which led to the arrest of the above listed suspects. The suspects upon their arrest have confessed to their roles in perpetrating the crime and efforts are ongoing to recover the money fraudulently obtained.