NPF-NCCC Dismantles over 5,049 Cybercrime Websites
The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has dismantled 5,049 malicious domains and networks and taken down major cybercrime syndicates responsible for identity theft, business email compromise (BEC), computer fraud, money laundering, and WhatsApp hacking.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this during a briefing on the NPF-NCCC’s 2024 activities. According to him, the Centre recorded significant breakthroughs in combating cybercrime within and outside Nigeria.
In one major operation, police operatives arrested Douglass Victor, a key member of a syndicate led by Diepreye Samuel. The syndicate specializes in hacking business emails to defraud global companies. Victor was apprehended on December 20, 2024, and confessed to intercepting business communications and diverting funds to syndicate accounts. Evidence obtained from his Skype account revealed thousands of compromised email credentials.
“The syndicate operates internationally, using Skype exclusively to avoid detection,” Adejobi stated, adding that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the syndicate leader and other members still at large.
In another development, the police arrested Egbo Efe Martins, 26, from Ughelli South, Delta State, for facilitating fraudulent bank account openings. Egbo allegedly used his girlfriend’s personal information to create multiple accounts with a Nigerian digital bank, which were rented to scammers involved in WhatsApp hacking. These scammers targeted prominent Nigerians, including senators and ministers, to solicit funds under false pretences.
“Egbo has been charged to court for criminal conspiracy, impersonation, and computer-related fraud under the Cybercrimes Act, 2024,” Adejobi said, adding that efforts are ongoing to track his accomplices.
In another case, police arrested three suspects—Chinedu Godswill Israel (20), Lucky Adesunloye (34), and Ndifreke Joseph Moody (27)—for hacking WhatsApp accounts and impersonating victims to defraud their contacts. A victim, identified as Isah, was defrauded of ₦24 million after receiving messages from a hacked account of a trusted friend.
Highlighting the Centre’s accomplishments, Adejobi revealed that the NPF-NCCC apprehended 751 suspects in 2024, with 14 convictions secured. The Centre also recovered 467 mobile phones, 137 laptops, 46 routers, 4 servers, 1 drone, and 4 Starlink devices from suspects.
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Other confiscated items include 16 houses, 39 plots of land, 14 land documents, and 26 vehicles. Financial recoveries totalled ₦8.82 billion, 115,237.91 USDT, and $84,000, which were all restituted to victims.
The police reported 508 cybercrime cases last year, including sextortion and cyberstalking.
Adejobi also noted that the Centre relaunched an upgraded Cybercrime E-Reporting System in 2024 to improve the process for reporting cyber incidents. The system has enhanced response times and case management, helping victims of extortion, cryptocurrency scams, and other cyber threats.
In addition, the NPF-NCCC spearheaded a nationwide cybersecurity awareness campaign, educating the public on online safety practices through workshops, seminars, and digital platforms.
Describing 2024 as a year of “remarkable achievements,” Adejobi said the Centre’s efforts have strengthened the fight against cybercrime and safeguarded Nigeria’s digital landscape.
Content Credit| Oyedepo Oluwafifedoyinsola Precious
Picture Credit | https://von.gov.ng/
