Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 24 individuals suspected of engaging in internet fraud in Benin City, Edo State. The arrests were made on Monday at different locations across the city by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.
In a statement shared on X.com on Wednesday, the EFCC revealed that the arrests were the result of actionable intelligence linking the suspects to computer-related fraud. “The suspects were arrested following actionable intelligence of their suspected involvement in computer-related fraud,” the statement said.
During the operation, the EFCC recovered several items from the suspects, including 11 exotic cars, laptops, and mobile phones. Additionally, one of the suspects was found in possession of N160,000.00 (one hundred and sixty thousand naira).
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The EFCC disclosed that the suspects have already made useful statements to investigators and are expected to be charged to court once the investigation is concluded.
This crackdown on internet fraud in Edo State follows a similar operation by the Sokoto Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, which reported the arrest of 13 suspected internet fraudsters earlier in the week. Both operations were carried out based on intelligence reports about the individuals’ involvement in internet-related crimes.
The EFCC continues to step up efforts in its fight against cybercrime, a growing menace in the country. An EFCC spokesperson said, “We are committed to tackling internet fraud, and our recent operations in Edo and Sokoto demonstrate that we will not relent in our efforts.”