The Nigeria Police Force announced a remarkable achievements on significant operational milestones, and numerous accolades received throughout 2024 by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC).
Prince Olumuyiwa Adejobi an Assistant Commissioner of Police, the Police Force Public Relations Officer explained that these accomplishments underscore the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to safeguarding Nigeria’s digital landscape and combating cybercrime effectively.
OPERATIONAL MILESTONES:
Enhanced Cybercrime Reporting System:
In early 2024, the Unit relaunched an upgraded Cybercrime E-Reporting System, enhancing accessibility and streamlining the process for citizens to report cyber incidents which includes Extortion, Cryptocurrency and Investment Scam, Cyberstalking and other Cybercrime Trends.. This system has increased reporting efficiency significantly, enabling quicker response times and more effective case management.
Major Achievements are Successful Operations Against Cybercrime Syndicates:
In 2024, the Unit coordinated and executed several high-profile operations, leading to the dismantled of about 5,049 malicious Domains and networks and major cybercrime syndicates operating within and beyond Nigeria’s borders. These operations resulted in over 751 arrests and prosecutions of cybercrime threat elements, 685 devices were recovered, which comprised of 467 mobile phones, 137 laptops/computers, 46 routers, 4 servers, 1 drone, and 4 starlink devices.
16 Houses, 39 Plots of Land and 14 Land Documents were confiscated alongside 26 vehicles.
508 cybercrime cases were reported with sextortion, cyberstalking, and…
The department has also been able to secure 14 convictions, and recover the sum of N8,821,001,881.80 (Eight Billion, Eight Hundred and Twenty-One Million, One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-One Naira, Eighty Kobo), 115, 237.91 USDT and $84,000 (Eighty-Four Thousand Dollars) which has been restituted to the victims.
AWARDS AND COMMENDATIONS:
1. INTERPOL Best Cybercrime Unit in Africa: we celebrate the Nigeria Police force national Cybercrime Center as the best Cybercrime Unit inn Africa as the Unit
was rated the best Cybercrime Unit in Africa for 2024 by INTERPOL Cybercrime Directorate, Singapore after a competitive performance assessment and cyber surg Operations code named “Operation Serengeti” where the Center took the overall first position among 54 participating African Countries.
2. 2024 Award of Nation Building in Cybersecurity Services by the Civil Society organization of Nigeria.
3. Nigeria Most outstanding in IT security of the year by the Institute of Strategic Studies.
4. 2024 Cybersecurity merit Award by the Cybersecurity Experts Association of Nigeria (CEASN)
This accolade recognizes the relentless efforts and innovative strategies of the Inspector General of Police and significant contributions of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC) in the protection of our national critical national information infrastructure (CNII).
Nationwide Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign:
Throughout the year, the Centre spearheaded a comprehensive cybersecurity awareness campaign, through workshops, seminars, and digital platforms. The initiative focused on educating the public about online safety practices and the importance of reporting cyber threats.
Advanced Training Program:
The Centre successfully conducted and participated in several advanced training programs both locally and abroad to equip the personnel with cutting-edge skills and knowledge to tackle sophisticated cyber threats.
Public-Private Partnerships:
Strategic partnerships with tech companies and financial institutions were fortified, facilitating streamlined information sharing and collaborative response to cyber threats. These alliances have resulted in a significant reduction in cyber incidents.
Collaboration with International Agencies:
Strengthening international partnerships, the Centre collaborated with INTERPOL, the FBI, British national crime Agency (NCA), Japan National Police Agency, French Gendarmerie, EU Council on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention) and various global cybersecurity organizations to enhance cross-border cooperation. This collaboration has facilitated intelligence sharing and the joint action on transnational cybercrime cases.
Looking Ahead:
As we step into 2025, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre remains dedicated to its mission of fortifying Nigeria’s cyber defenses. The Centre is poised to tackle emerging cyber threats and ensure the safety and security of Nigeria’s digital cyberspace and protection of victims of cybercrime.
ARREST OF SUSPECT INVOLVED IN IDENTITY THEFT, BUSINESS EMAIL COMPROMISE, AND MONEY LAUNDERING, Following an intelligence-led investigation into the activities of a cybercrime syndicate operating on the dark web, on the 20th of December 2024, operatives of the NPF-NCCC apprehended a key suspect identified as Douglass Victor ‘m’, in connection with crimes involving identity theft, business email compromise (BEC), computer-related fraud, and money laundering.
The syndicate, led by one Diepreye Samuel ‘m’, specializes in compromising business emails to defraud companies and divert funds for personal use, targeting prominent companies globally to perpetrate their crimes.
During interrogation, the suspect confessed to customers’ email addresses and passwords, compromising business conversations, and diverting funds to their syndicate. Thousands of compromised email credentials and login details were recovered from his Skype account.
The suspect further disclosed that the syndicate operates internationally, with members located across the globe. Communication and transactions among the members are conducted exclusively through Skype, making their operations highly elusive. Efforts are currently in top gear to track and apprehend the head of the syndicate and other members who remain at large.
The Nigeria Police Force reiterates its commitment to combating cybercrime, dominating the cyberspace and ensuring that all perpetrators face the full weight of the law. The public is urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies promptly.
2. Operative of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centres has arrested one Egbo Efe Martins, form Ughelli south, Delta State, 26 years old , for facilitating cybercrime by fraudulently opening and renting bank accounts used by cybercriminals to receive funds from a WhatsApp hacking syndicate.
Egbo used his girlfriend’s personal information to open multiple accounts with a large digital bank in Nigeria and rented them to cybercriminals. The cyber criminals hack WhatsApp accounts belonging to prominent Nigerians, including Senators and Ministers, to solicit funds from their contacts under false pretences.
Upon investigation, Egbo admitted knowing the accounts would be used for fraud but claimed he believed the victims were foreigners, despite receiving all payments in Naira. He takes his cut of the proceeds before transferring the rest to his clients. Egbo has been charged with Criminal Conspiracy, Impersonation, and Computer-Related Fraud, contrary to Sections 27(1), 22(2), and 14(2) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024 as amended.
Efforts are on top gear to locate and apprehend ever members of the WhatsApp hacking syndicate
A BRIEF OF A CASE OF COMPUTER RELATED FRAUD AND UNLAWFUL HACKING OF WHATSAPP
SUSPECT: (1) Chinedu Godswill Israel ‘M’ Age 20 Yrs,
(2) Lucky Adesunloye ‘M’ Age 34 Yrs
(3) Ndifreke Joseph Moody 'M' Age 27 Yrs
FACT: On Tuesday 4th June, 2024 at about 12:49 PM, the Center received a petition from one Mallam Yasir Hassan Isah stating that he was contacted on his Whatsapp by one of his old time friend and business associate requesting him to send some amount of money. He then went ahead to do so without calling for confirmation. But after he had sent the sum of twenty-four million naira (N24,000,000.00k) in tranche, and more demand to send more money were coming, he then called his friend to confirm why such demands were made but his calls were not answered until the second day being 5th June 2024. It was then he got to know that the WhatsApp of his friend had been hacked.
Upon receipt of the petition, the center began investigation which led to the arrest of the above listed suspects. The suspects upon their arrest have confessed to their roles in perpetrating the crime and efforts are ongoing to recover the money fraudulently obtained.