By Amah
kindly share:
The Nigeria Police Force has dismantled an international cybercrime syndicate operating from Agbor, Delta State, arresting seven suspects over an alleged large-scale online investment fraud targeting victims in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and other countries.
The operation was carried out by the Police National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCC) in collaboration with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), with intelligence support from Meta, the Force Headquarters disclosed on Thursday.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said investigations uncovered a highly coordinated investment scam in which the suspects used fake social media profiles to impersonate reputable cryptocurrency traders and financial experts.
According to Hundeyin, the syndicate lured unsuspecting victims through cloned accounts and deceptive online interactions, making them believe they were engaging with legitimate investment platforms. He added that the group also recruited and trained young people in online investment fraud and phishing techniques, with UK-based individuals forming the primary target.
The suspects arrested were identified as Collins Ogwuorie, Christian Ogwuorie, Gbenoba Emmanuel, Samuel Olufemi, Collins Victor, Onyeka Emenem and Kefas Ogunbor.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the fraud network was allegedly coordinated by Collins Ogwuorie, who procured more than 500 social media accounts from online vendors and distributed them among syndicate members for organised spamming, impersonation and sustained victim engagement. Each member was assigned specific operational roles, including account control, messaging and manipulation of potential investors.
Police further disclosed that the group operated a fake Facebook page titled “Retirement Strategies: Real Estate and Market Insights,” where fabricated testimonials and false success narratives were used to entice victims into fraudulent investments.
During the raid, detectives recovered 26 mobile phones, 42 SIM cards and a laptop, all suspected to have been used in executing the scheme.
Investigations are ongoing, and the police have advised members of the public to exercise caution, verify the authenticity of online investment platforms and avoid unsolicited investment offers.
