The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has recorded major breakthroughs against cybercrime, dismantling several criminal networks involved in international online fraud, cryptocurrency scams, identity theft, the dissemination of false information, and a multi-billion-naira telecommunications fraud.
Speaking during a press briefing, the NPF-NCCC disclosed that a series of coordinated intelligence-led operations resulted in the arrest of 22 suspects across different parts of the country, while several principal suspects remain at large.
In one of the operations, the cybercrime centre dismantled a suspected international cyber-enabled fraud syndicate operating from Asaba, Delta State. Acting on intelligence provided by the National Crime Agency (NCA) through the British High Commission in Abuja, operatives executed a court-authorised operation on July 4, 2026, arresting six suspects allegedly involved in impersonating internationally recognised personalities to defraud foreign victims.
Recovered during the raid were a Mercedes-Benz GLK SUV, 11 mobile phones, a laptop, a tablet device, a wristwatch, and a Starlink satellite internet system. Preliminary forensic examinations reportedly uncovered evidence of online impersonation and other cyber-enabled fraudulent activities targeting victims overseas.
The Centre also announced the success of Operation Seraphim, a joint initiative with the City of London Police aimed at dismantling a cybercriminal network operating across 434 Telegram chat rooms.
Four suspects were arrested in Lagos State over allegations of criminal conspiracy, identity theft, cryptocurrency fraud, and the sale of stolen personal and financial information belonging mainly to United Kingdom citizens. Investigators recovered stolen driver’s licences, credit card details, banking credentials, cryptocurrency transaction records, and evidence linking the suspects to romance scams and other online fraud schemes. Police said efforts are ongoing to apprehend the alleged ringleader and other members of the syndicate.
In another operation, detectives uncovered a sophisticated high-yield investment and cryptocurrency fraud scheme allegedly operated through an online platform falsely presented as being affiliated with the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and endorsed by renowned economist Yemi Kale.
Three suspects, including two Chinese nationals, were arrested in connection with the alleged fraud, while the suspected mastermind remains at large. Investigators said unsuspecting investors were recruited through a WhatsApp group known as “Stock Risk Control Center”, where they were persuaded to invest funds that were subsequently converted into USDT cryptocurrency.
According to the police, investigations established that approximately ₦29.8 million was obtained from victims before being transferred into cryptocurrency wallets linked to the fleeing suspect and his collaborators.
The NPF-NCCC also announced the arrest of a social media content creator over the alleged publication of manipulated digital content.
The suspect was accused of circulating a doctored video that combined authentic footage of social media personality Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, with fabricated audio falsely attributed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Investigators said digital analysis revealed the use of editing applications to remove watermarks before republishing the manipulated content across multiple social media accounts. The case has been recommended for prosecution.
Similarly, police arrested another suspect in Edo State over the dissemination of false security information through a Facebook page with approximately 157,000 followers.
According to investigators, the suspect allegedly published a viral video claiming that nearly 1,000 Boko Haram members had been deployed to Abuja and urged residents to leave the Federal Capital Territory. The video reportedly generated about 11 million views and over 13,000 shares before investigations established that the claims were entirely false. The suspect allegedly admitted publishing the information without verification, and the matter has also been recommended for prosecution.
One of the largest investigations unveiled by the NPF-NCCC involved an alleged ₦7.7 billion fraud against MTN Nigeria Communications Plc.
Police said investigations began after MTN reported the unauthorised use of staff login credentials to manipulate its billing and payment systems. The syndicate allegedly generated fraudulent airtime, converted it into data bundles, and distributed them to more than 2,016 prepaid lines, causing losses estimated at ₦7.7 billion.
Six suspects were arrested during coordinated operations in Kano, Katsina, and Abuja, while several principal suspects remain at large.
Recovered exhibits included more than 400 laptops, over 1,000 mobile phones, three Point-of-Sale machines, a Toyota RAV4 vehicle, US$9,800 in cash, ₦100,000, financial records, bank statements, and digital evidence relating to the unauthorised access to MTN’s billing platform.
Investigators alleged that the fraud involved collusion between internal MTN personnel and external accomplices who exploited stolen login credentials and remote access tools to gain unlawful access to the telecommunications company’s systems. The illegally generated airtime and data were allegedly sold through WhatsApp groups and data trading platforms.
The police disclosed that MTN was able to reverse 2,931.79 terabytes of stolen data valued at approximately ₦3.8 billion, while investigations continue to identify and arrest the remaining members of the criminal network.
The NPF-NCCC reaffirmed its commitment to combating cybercrime, protecting Nigeria’s digital ecosystem, and strengthening collaboration with international law enforcement agencies to dismantle transnational criminal networks operating within and outside the country.
