The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested a 27-year-old suspect, Aliyu Muhammed, in connection with an alleged ₦5.7 million online fraud involving a fake Facebook marketplace page.
According to a statement issued by the Acting Police Public Relations Officer of the NPF-NCCC, DSP Unwana Imah, the suspect is being investigated for computer-related fraud, identity theft, obtaining by false pretence, and money laundering.
The arrest followed a petition submitted by a university lecturer in Akwa Ibom State who reportedly fell victim to an online scam in March 2026. The complainant said he responded to advertisements for household items posted on a Facebook page known as “SHOPHOUSEHOLDITEMS.”
The seller subsequently moved discussions to WhatsApp, where the victim was persuaded to make payments totaling ₦5.7 million into several fintech bank accounts for the purchase of the advertised items.
However, after completing the payments, the goods were never delivered. The complainant was allegedly blocked from further communication, while the Facebook page used for the transaction was abandoned.
Following investigations, the NPF-NCCC, working with Meta Inc. and deploying its technical capabilities, traced the account used to operate the fraudulent page to Katsina State, where the suspect was arrested.
Police authorities disclosed that the full amount of ₦5.7 million has been recovered, while investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of the fraudulent activities and identify possible accomplices.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to combating cybercrime and protecting citizens from online fraud.
He urged members of the public to exercise caution when conducting transactions on social media platforms, verify the identities of sellers, and avoid making substantial payments to unverified accounts before inspecting goods.
