The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) Tuesday said it has arrested over 1,088 cybercrime suspects, secured 152 convictions and recovered N142,261,254,228.80 over the years in Nigeria.
The was contained in a statement made by available by the Police Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in February 2023, Nigeria was placed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, designating the country as a high-risk jurisdiction for money laundering and terrorism financing.
“In response to this critical situation, the Nigeria Police Force has been actively tackling these issues through the establishment of specialised units such as the Special Anti-Fraud Unit (SFU), the National Cybercrime Centre, and the newly launched Anti-Money Laundering Unit. Collectively, these initiatives aim to enhance Nigeria’s compliance with international standards and facilitate the country’s removal from the FATF grey list.
“Over the past year, these specialised units have made significant strides in combating financial crimes, resulting in the arrest of 1,088 suspects, securing 152 convictions, and recovering a total of $11,450,000 and N142,261,254,228.80.
“The National Cybercrime Centre, in particular, has been pivotal in addressing digital financial crimes, leading to the arrest of 751 cybercrime suspects and extensive recoveries amounting to ₦8,821,001,881.80, $84,000, and 115,237.91 USDT.
“A notable achievement includes Operation Butterfly Net, addressing a cyberattack on Flutterwave, which led to the arrest of 179 individuals involved in laundering over N11 billion.”