In a major crackdown on cybercrime, operatives of the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 40 suspected internet fraudsters in coordinated operations carried out in Bida and Minna Local Government Areas of Niger State.
The arrest, which followed credible intelligence gathered by the anti-graft agency, marks a significant step in the EFCC’s ongoing war against cybercrime and other related offenses. According to a statement issued by the Commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the suspects were apprehended for their alleged involvement in various forms of fraudulent internet activities.
During the raid, the operatives recovered a variety of items believed to be proceeds of crime or used in furtherance of illegal activities. These include:
Three automobiles,Eight power-generating sets,One Hisense air conditioner,Two power stabilizers,Ten motorcycles,Eight laptop computers
Four Bluetooth speakers,Sixty Android phones
In addition to electronic gadgets and vehicles, operatives also found fetish materials at the scene. Among the recovered items were three calabashes adorned with feathers, traditionally made soap and sponge, a bottle of alcoholic drink, 20 cowries, a waist bead, and four pieces of female underwear.
The EFCC stated that these fetish items may have been used in ritualistic practices believed by some fraudsters to enhance their criminal activities or evade detection.
“The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” Oyewale assured, emphasizing the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that perpetrators of cybercrime are brought to justice.
The EFCC has in recent months intensified its efforts to clamp down on internet fraud across the country, targeting syndicates that operate within urban and semi-urban centers.
This latest operation sends a strong message to cybercriminals that there is no hiding place for fraudsters in Niger State and beyond.
