The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre has arrested seven suspected members of an online investment fraud syndicate operating from Agbor, Delta State, following a joint investigation with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and technology firm, Meta.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, stating that the operation was intelligence-driven and supported by international partners.
Hundeyin said theInv suspects—identified as Collins Ogwuorie, Christian Ogwuorie, Gbenoba Emmanuel, Samuel Olufemi, Collins Victor, Onyeka Emenem and Kefas Ogunbor—were allegedly involved in running a coordinated online scam network that targeted foreign victims through deceptive investment schemes.
According to him, the group relied on fake social media profiles to impersonate well-known cryptocurrency traders and investment experts, luring unsuspecting individuals who believed they were engaging with legitimate platforms.
estigations revealed that the syndicate recruited and trained young operatives in retirement investment fraud and phishing techniques, with victims traced to the United States of America, Americans residing in the United Kingdom, as well as UK nationals.
Hundeyin said Collins Ogwuorie was identified as the leader of the network, adding that he allegedly acquired about 500 social media accounts from online vendors, which were shared among recruits for impersonation, mass spamming and coordinated engagement with victims.
He noted that members of the group, including Ogwuorie’s brother, Christian, were assigned specific operational duties such as managing fraudulent accounts, engaging targets online and executing large-scale spamming campaigns.
The police spokesman further disclosed that the syndicate operated a fake Facebook group titled “Retirement Strategies: Real Estate and Market Insights”, where fabricated success stories and testimonials were posted to convince victims to part with their funds.
Items recovered during the operation included 26 mobile phones, 42 SIM cards and a laptop, all believed to have been used in perpetrating the alleged crimes.
Hundeyin said investigations were ongoing and urged members of the public to remain cautious when dealing with online investment opportunities, stressing the need to verify the credibility of platforms before committing money.
Reacting to the arrests, Meta’s Head of Safety Policy for Africa, the Middle East and Türkiye, Sylvia Musalagani, said the company welcomed the collaboration with Nigerian and UK authorities, noting that shared intelligence helped in identifying and disrupting the scam centre.
She added that the development underscored the importance of cooperation between technology companies and law enforcement agencies in tackling cybercrime.
Also speaking, a representative of the UK National Crime Agency, Matt Mountain, described the arrests as a product of sustained collaboration with Nigerian authorities, backed by the UK-Nigeria Fraud Memorandum of Understanding signed last year.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working with Nigerian law enforcement to combat fraud and deny criminal networks safe operating spaces.
Online investment fraud has surged globally in recent years, with scammers increasingly exploiting social media platforms to impersonate legitimate traders and deceive victims.
The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre continues to work with international partners to investigate and dismantle transnational cybercrime syndicates.
