The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced the conviction of 59 foreign nationals connected to an international cybercrime syndicate uncovered in Abuja in November 2024.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, on Thursday, the foreign nationals were convicted by the NPF‘s National Cybercrime Centre.
“On Saturday, 3rd November 2024, acting on credible and actionable intelligence, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center, carried out a well-coordinated cyber-operation on a building located in Jahi, Abuja.
“The operation, which formed part of a broader national cybercrime crackdown, led to the arrest of one-hundred and thirty (130) suspects, comprising one-hundred and thirteen (113) foreign nationals of Chinese and Malaysian origin and seventeen (17) Nigerians,” CSP Hundeyin stated.
He revealed that the individuals were implicated in various cyber offences, including large-scale internet fraud, sophisticated hacking operations, and other cybercriminal activities capable of undermining Nigeria’s national cybersecurity.
The spokesperson added: “Following meticulous investigations and the presentation of robust digital forensic evidence in court, twenty-one (21) of the accused persons were earlier convicted and sentenced on 1st August 2025, while an additional five (5) were convicted in September 2025. With the most recent conviction of fifty-nine (59) others, the total number of convicted suspects now stands at eighty-five (85), as prosecution of the remaining suspects continues.”
Commenting on the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the Force to intensifying the fight against all forms of cybercrime.
IGP Egbetokun emphasised that these convictions send a strong and clear message to both local and international cybercriminal networks that Nigeria will not serve as a safe haven for cybercriminal enterprises.
He further assured members of the public that the Force will continue to leverage cutting-edge technology, strengthen international collaborations, and sustain diligent investigative and prosecutorial processes to dismantle organised cybercrime networks and bring perpetrators to justice.
