The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested several suspects linked to cybercrime operations involving alleged fraud, identity theft, sextortion, money laundering and police impersonation.
Assistant Inspector-General of Police, NPF-NCCC, AIG Akaninyene Ezima, disclosed this on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, during a press briefing.
In one major case, police traced ₦3.62 billion in suspected criminal proceeds allegedly converted into Tether (USDT) through Bybit peer-to-peer transactions. The suspect, Kelechi Sistus Ihekaire, proprietor of Kestart Technology, was arrested in Lagos.
Police also arrested David Adeyemi Temitope over an alleged Business Email Compromise operation. Forensic examination reportedly recovered more than 12.5 million victim email logs involving victims in over 50 countries. A Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC 43 was also recovered.
Other cases involved two suspects arrested in Anambra over alleged identity theft and trafficking in pre-registered SIM cards; Abdulwajeed Abdullahi, known as “Captain Junaid,” over alleged romance scam and sextortion; and Paulsurplus Yohanna, accused of stealing land documents and allegedly selling his former employer’s Toyota RAV4 for ₦25 million.
The Centre also arrested Babatunde Olamilekan Idowu, alias “CSP Bamiseye,” for allegedly impersonating a senior police officer and extorting ₦17 million from a victim with accomplices.
Ezima warned cybercriminals that sophisticated technology, cryptocurrency and fake identities would not protect them.
“The long arm of the law will catch up with you,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to verify online investment opportunities, beware of romance scams and suspicious links, and protect sensitive personal and banking information.
