A combined operation between the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the National Police Agency of Japan has led to the arrest of 11 individuals involved in cybercrimes, including computer-related fraud, romance scams, and identity theft, targeting Japanese victims.

The arrests followed an investigation launched after a report on April 3, 2024, identified 13 suspects in five separate cybercrime cases linked to Nigeria. According to NPF spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, the operation was carried out by the NPF National Cybercrime Centre, in collaboration with Nigeria’s National Central Bureau and NCB Tokyo.

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Operatives have so far retrieved $33,320 from the suspects, according to Adejobi, and efforts were underway to trace and reclaim additional stolen funds as authorities continue to dismantle the criminal network.

“The Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with the National Police Agency of Japan, has strengthened efforts to combat cybercrime. A press briefing at the NPF-NCCC highlighted the effectiveness of this international partnership, which led to the arrest of 11 suspects involved in identity theft, romance scams, and other cyber-related fraud,” Adejobi stated.

Love scam to lure victims 

The investigation uncovered a well-organised network using social media, particularly Instagram, to deceive individuals into fake romantic relationships.

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Victims were manipulated into sending money via wire transfers, which was then converted into cryptocurrency and funnelled into Nigerian digital wallets.

Adejobi said, “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 funnelled to various digital wallets in Nigeria. “

He said, “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.”