A joint operation between the Nigeria Police Force and the National Police Agency of Japan has led to the arrest of 11 suspects involved in various cybercrimes such as identity theft, romance scams, and computer-related fraud targeting Japanese victims.
The Force spokesperson, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, February 17, 2025, said the crackdown followed a report received on April 3, 2024, detailing five cybercrime cases linked to 13 individuals operating from Nigeria.
According to Adejobi, the NPF National Cybercrime Centre, in collaboration with Nigeria’s National Central Bureau and NCB Tokyo, launched an extensive investigation that led to the arrests.
“The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), in collaboration with the National Police Agency of Japan (NPA), has strengthened collaborative efforts aimed at combating the ever-growing menace of cybercrime,” the statement read.
“In a significant event, a press briefing at the NPF National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) highlighted the strength and effectiveness of the ongoing international partnership, focusing on the successful operation that resulted in the arrest of 11 suspects involved in serious crimes such as identity theft, romance scams, and computer-related fraud that targeted Japanese victims from Nigeria.
“On April 3, 2024, the NPF National Cybercrime Centre, working in conjunction with Nigeria’s National Central Bureau and the NCB Tokyo, received reports regarding five cybercrime cases linked to 13 identified threat actors operating from Nigeria. The subsequent investigation led to the apprehension of eleven individuals and unveiled an extensive network that exploited social media platforms, particularly Instagram, to lure unsuspecting victims into fraudulent romantic relationships.
“Victims were duped into transferring funds through wire transactions, which were eventually converted into cryptocurrency and funneled to various digital wallets in Nigeria.
“The preliminary stages of the investigation yielded the recovery of $33,320, with ongoing efforts to reclaim additional stolen funds and dismantle the entire syndicate responsible for these crimes.