The Nigeria Police Force has dismantled an international cyber scam centre operating in Agbor, Delta State, with the arrest of seven suspects allegedly involved in large-scale online investment fraud targeting victims in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and other countries.
The Force Headquarters disclosed on Thursday that 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.
According to the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, investigations revealed that the suspects operated a sophisticated online investment scam, using fake social media profiles to impersonate reputable cryptocurrency traders and lure unsuspecting victims.
Hundeyin said the suspects relied on fraudulent social media accounts to deceive individuals engaging with what appeared to be legitimate investment platforms. He added that the syndicate also recruited and trained young people in online investment fraud and phishing schemes, targeting mainly UK-based victims and residents.
Those arrested were identified as Collins Ogwuorie, Christian Ogwuorie, Gbenoba Emmanuel, Samuel Olufemi, Collins Victor, Onyeka Emenem, and Kefas Ogunbor.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the fraud network was led by Collins Ogwuorie, who allegedly procured about 500 social media accounts from online vendors and distributed them among syndicate members for coordinated spamming, impersonation, and engagement with victims. Police said each suspect was assigned specific roles, including account management and direct online interaction.
Investigators further disclosed that the group operated a fake Facebook page titled “Retirement Strategies: Real Estate and Market Insights,” where fabricated testimonials were posted to convince victims to invest in fraudulent schemes.
During the raid, detectives recovered 26 mobile phones, 42 SIM cards, and one laptop, all believed to have been used in carrying out the alleged crimes. Police said investigations are ongoing and urged members of the public to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of online investment platforms before committing funds.
