The Nigerian Police Force has successfully dismantled a significant international cybercrime syndicate operating within the country, authorities said.
The force in a statement on Monday said a joint coordination between several law enforcement agencies led to the arrest of "113 foreign nationals" suspected of involvement in a range of cybercrimes, including internet fraud and marketing scams.
“The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arraigned the 113 foreign nationals facing serious charges, including computer-related fraud, unlawful access to data, marketing scams, money laundering, conspiracy, and illegal immigration, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja,” the statement signed by Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, read in part.
Police did not name the nationalities of the suspects who were arrested on November 3, 2024, in the capital, Abuja.
Recovered items include laptops, smartphones, tablets, desktops, high-capacity servers, drones, specialised cyber equipment, international passports, identity cards, and travel documents.
Police noted the “scale and sophistication of the operation underscores the increasing global threat posed by cybercriminal syndicates operating across borders.”
The suspects were also charged with human trafficking and illegal migration, police added.
Authorities said it is collaborating with international law enforcement agencies to “track and prosecute cybercriminals, combat cybercrime and other forms of transnational criminal activity, and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable under Nigerian law.”
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