A joint operation between the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the National Police Agency (NPA) of Japan has led to the arrest of 11 suspects involved in cybercrimes, including identity theft, romance scams, and computer-related fraud targeting Japanese victims.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, February 17, 2025.
He revealed that 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 (NPF-NCCC), in collaboration with Nigeria’s National Central Bureau and NCB Tokyo, launched an extensive investigation that led to the arrests.
“The Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with the National Police Agency of Japan, has strengthened efforts to combat the growing menace of cybercrime,” the statement read.
Adejobi further explained that the operation uncovered an extensive criminal network that exploited social media platforms, particularly Instagram, to lure unsuspecting victims into fraudulent romantic relationships.
“Victims were deceived into transferring funds through wire transactions, which were later converted into cryptocurrency and funneled into various digital wallets in Nigeria,” he stated.
The preliminary stages of the investigation led to the recovery of $33,320, with ongoing efforts to reclaim additional stolen funds and dismantle the syndicate responsible for the crimes.
The Nigeria Police Force reassured the public of its commitment to safeguarding lives and property in both the physical and digital space, vowing to deploy all available resources and emerging technologies to combat cybercrime.