Nine Arrested in Nigeria as International Crackdown Targets Scam Networks

An international operation targeting online scam networks across West Africa has reportedly led to the arrest of 28 suspects, including nine in Nigeria and 19 in Ghana.

According to Axios, the operation involved the US Department of Justice, FBI, UK National Crime Agency and law enforcement agencies from 10 countries, working with technology companies to disrupt online fraud and related criminal activities.

The networks allegedly used fraudulent job offers, romance scams and impersonation of officials to defraud victims. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said it removed more than 3.7 million accounts, pages and groups linked to West African scam networks.

In a related development, Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) confirmed that 105 Nigerians rescued from Ghana had returned home following an operation coordinated by Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser.

NAPTIP said Ghanaian authorities rescued 119 Nigerians during the operation, with 14 others still undergoing repatriation arrangements. The returnees are expected to undergo profiling and reintegration procedures to determine their individual circumstances and support needs.

The agency said it would work with relevant authorities to provide assistance where necessary. However, further details about the nine reported arrests in Nigeria, including the suspects’ identities, locations and possible charges, have not been independently confirmed.

Authorities have also not established publicly whether all the returnees were trafficked or coerced into online fraud, making individual investigations necessary to determine their circumstances.

NAPTIP urged Nigerians to be cautious about suspicious overseas employment offers and opportunities promising unrealistic earnings.