The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced a series of high-profile arrests and the dismantling of fraud networks across the country, as the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reaffirms the Force’s resolve to rid Nigeria’s digital economy of criminal activity.
The operations, carried out by the NPF’s National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), were disclosed in a statement by Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
In one of the most significant busts, the NPF-NCCC dismantled a sophisticated international fraud syndicate following a tip-off from the East Africa Sub-Sahara Africa Safe Promotion Foundation, a Nairobi-based NGO.
The prime suspect, Agbor Martins Black-Diamond, allegedly impersonated a World Bank official and over three years defrauded two Kenyan nationals Mr. Julius Kithome and Ms. Cynthia Kithome of a combined $250,000 through fictitious donor funding schemes. Investigations established that no legitimate funding was ever procured. Instead, the suspect reportedly organised fake symposiums in Nigeria and South Africa, and further lured the victims into seeking a loan for a non-existent $850,000 empowerment fund in Ghana. Police confirmed financial inflows of $57,975 between February and July 2023.
Investigators also found that Black-Diamond’s organisation was unregistered in Nigeria, prompting him to create a separate entity to lend legitimacy to his operations. He is additionally accused of defrauding local farmers in Kuje Area Council under the pretence of empowerment programmes. He was arrested on March 31, 2026.
In a separate operation, police on April 3, 2026, arrested Chinedu Mbachu following a complaint lodged on behalf of NewLife Ventures Makurdi. The former employee stands accused of unauthorised system access, cybersquatting, and diverting customer payments into his personal accounts. A Samsung A6 Plus mobile phone and National Identification Number (NIN) documents were recovered from him.
The NPF-NCCC also arrested two suspects, Ayodele Daramola and Dada Babatunde Oluwatobi, in connection with the alleged diversion of ₦85 million from a private company between May and December 2025.
According to investigators, Daramola — an employee in the company’s investment booking unit — allegedly collaborated with Babatunde, a non-staff accomplice, to siphon the funds through unauthorised access to internal systems. Police disclosed that Babatunde retained 21 per cent of the stolen sum, while the remaining 79 per cent was transferred to Daramola. Investigators further established that approximately ₦61 million of the proceeds were staked on online betting platforms.
Items recovered from the suspects include ₦4 million in cash, a Lexus ES350 saloon car, a Dell laptop, and an iPhone 13 Pro Max. Efforts to recover outstanding funds and prosecute all parties involved are said to be ongoing.
Reacting to the developments, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu declared that Nigeria would not serve as a refuge for those who exploit digital platforms and financial systems. He assured citizens and the international community alike that the Force would continue to pursue cybercriminals and bring all perpetrators to justice.
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