POLICE NAB SEVEN SUSPECTS IN ALLEGED ₦3.6BN CYBERCRIME AND SEXTORTION CASES

The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrimes Centre has arrested seven suspects over alleged involvement in a range of internet-related offences, including money laundering, business email compromise, sextortion, blackmail and romance scams.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the centre, Akaninyene Ezima, disclosed the arrests on Wednesday during a news conference in Abuja. He said the operations were carried out as part of intensified efforts to dismantle organised cybercrime networks operating within and outside Nigeria.

Ezima explained that one of the investigations began after the German Federal Police, known as the Bundeskriminalamt, requested the preservation of data connected to an internet protocol address allegedly used in a sophisticated business email compromise operation.

The investigation, code-named Operation Broken Mask, was conducted with support from the German Federal Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police under the Budapest Convention 24/7 Network. The international cooperation enabled investigators to trace digital evidence and identify individuals allegedly connected to the offences.

The police said the suspects were linked to different forms of cyber-enabled criminal activity, including schemes designed to obtain money or sensitive information from victims through deception, intimidation and manipulation.

Business email compromise involves criminals gaining access to or impersonating legitimate email accounts in order to manipulate victims into transferring money or disclosing confidential information. Romance scams and sextortion, meanwhile, often involve criminals establishing deceptive online relationships before demanding money or threatening victims with the release of private material.

The arrests form part of the police cybercrime centre's broader efforts to strengthen international cooperation in tackling online offences. Investigators increasingly rely on partnerships with foreign law enforcement agencies because many cybercrime operations target victims across several countries.

The police have continued to intensify surveillance and digital investigations as cybercriminals adopt more sophisticated methods to conceal their identities and move illicit proceeds.

Authorities are expected to conduct further investigations into the suspects and establish the extent of their alleged involvement in the various offences. Additional arrests or charges could follow as investigators analyse digital devices, financial records and other evidence recovered during the operations.

The latest arrests also underscore the growing international dimension of cybercrime, with Nigerian law enforcement agencies working with foreign counterparts to identify suspects and disrupt criminal networks targeting victims across borders.