The Nigeria Police Force has recorded major successes in its crackdown on cybercrime, dismantling a cross-border fraud syndicate, arresting a fake World Bank official, and apprehending suspects involved in a multimillion-naira business email compromise scheme.
In a statement issued by Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, the breakthroughs were achieved by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu.
According to the statement, the NPF-NCCC dismantled a sophisticated international fraud network following intelligence from a Nairobi-based NGO. Investigations revealed that the prime suspect, Agbor Martins Black-Diamond, allegedly posed as an official of the World Bank and other foreign donor agencies to defraud victims.
The suspect reportedly deceived two Kenyan nationals into transferring a total of $250,000 over three years under the pretext of facilitating access to donor funding. He also allegedly organized fake symposiums in Nigeria and South Africa to sustain the scam and later convinced the victims to secure a bank loan for a non-existent $850,000 empowerment fund in Ghana.
Police investigations showed additional inflows of $57,975 between February and July 2023. The suspect was arrested on March 31, 2026, while his foundation was discovered to be unregistered. He later created another entity in an attempt to legitimize the fraudulent operation. Further findings linked him to similar schemes targeting local farmers in Kuje Area Council, Abuja.
In a separate case, operatives arrested one Chinedu Mbachu for alleged cyber-related offences including unauthorized system modification, cybersquatting, and diversion of company funds. The suspect, a former employee of a Makurdi-based firm, reportedly diverted customer payments into personal accounts.
Additionally, two suspects—Ayodele Daramola and Dada Babatunde Oluwatobi—were arrested over a Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme involving the diversion of ₦85 million from a private company. Investigations revealed that the duo exploited internal systems to siphon funds between May and December 2025.
Police disclosed that the proceeds were shared, with a significant portion allegedly spent on online gambling platforms. Recovered items include ₦4 million in cash, a Lexus ES350, a laptop, and a smartphone, while efforts are ongoing to trace and recover the remaining funds.
The Inspector-General of Police reaffirmed that Nigeria will not serve as a safe haven for cybercriminals, stressing the Force’s commitment to safeguarding the country’s digital economy and maintaining investor confidence.
He also assured both citizens and the international community that all perpetrators of cybercrime, whether local or foreign, will be tracked and brought to justice.
