A collaborative effort between the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the National Police Agency of Japan has led to the arrest of 11 suspects involved in cybercrime, including romance scams, identity theft, and other online fraud activities targeting Japanese nationals.
According to NPF spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, $33,320 was also recovered during the operation, which followed a detailed investigation into five cybercrime cases linked to 13 individuals operating from Nigeria.
The investigation, carried out by the NPF National Cybercrime Centre in partnership with Nigeria’s National Central Bureau and the NCB Tokyo, uncovered a network that used social media platforms, especially Instagram, to deceive victims into fake romantic relationships.
The criminals convinced victims to transfer funds via wire transactions, which were then converted into cryptocurrency and funneled into digital wallets in Nigeria.
Adejobi emphasized that this operation highlights the effectiveness of international collaboration in tackling cybercrime.
The crackdown has significantly disrupted fraudulent activities carried out through social media platforms, preventing further exploitation of victims.
