Bright Edafe, Delta State Police Public Relations Officer
The Delta State Police Command has announced that several operators of an internet fraud academy, known as Hustlers Kingdom (HK), in Warri are facing trial after being arrested in connection with cybercrime activities. This development comes after the arrest of 123 suspects who were allegedly being trained as internet fraudsters.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, revealed the details in an exclusive interview with PUNCH Metro on Monday. He stated that the suspects were apprehended following a military raid carried out by soldiers from the 3rd Battalion Nigerian Army Barracks in Warri in September. The soldiers raided an estate where the alleged cybercrime training was taking place and handed the suspects over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.
Edafe had earlier shared on his X (formerly Twitter) page that the suspects were part of an elaborate scam, lured into Hustlers Kingdom with promises of learning Bitcoin trading and Forex. However, once inside, they were forced to participate in internet fraud schemes. Most of the suspects, according to Edafe, are teenagers, many as young as 17 to 20 years old.
Edafe said, “Their agents flaunt wealth on social media to attract young boys from different states like Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, and Oyo. They promise to teach them crypto and Forex trading but trap them in a fraudulent network where they are beaten, forced to commit crimes, and only fed when the operators feel like it.”
Edafe also revealed that one of the suspects had managed to contact his family using a laptop provided by the operators, leading to the arrest. “A family member contacted the military after learning about the situation, which ultimately resulted in the raid and arrests,” he added.
In a follow-up discussion with PUNCH Metro, Edafe confirmed that some of the academy’s operators have already been charged in court. “Those arrested have been charged to court,” he said.
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One of the arrested students, Gbolahan Olaide, shared his harrowing experience at the so-called academy. He revealed that he was held captive for nine months after being lured to Warri under false pretenses. A friend had promised to help him raise money for his planned trip to Cairo, Egypt, but things took a dark turn when he arrived.
“I needed money to complete my travel plans, so a friend invited me to Warri to help. But when I arrived, things took a dark turn,” Olaide explained. Upon his arrival, he was picked up and taken to a house where he was locked in with other victims and forced to participate in cybercrime activities.
“They told me I couldn’t leave, and when I said I wanted to go home, they beat me until I lost control of my body and started spitting blood,” Olaide recalled. Despite the abuse, he was forced to learn fraudulent methods that involved hacking Facebook accounts and deceiving people, especially foreigners, into sending money.
The Delta State Police Command is continuing its investigation into the matter, and the suspects, including Gbolahan, are expected to face charges in court soon. Edafe assured that the authorities are working to bring justice to all those involved in this large-scale fraud operation.
The discovery of Hustlers Kingdom highlights the growing concern over cybercrime in Nigeria, especially among young people who are often lured into these illegal activities by promises of wealth and success. Law enforcement agencies continue to crack down on these operations, but the challenges of eradicating cybercrime remain significant.