03/07/2025
Nigerian Investigators Arrest 18 In Ogun Internet Fraud Bust, Recover U.S. Military, Civilian IDs
According to a statement released on Wednesday by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Commission, the suspects were arrested at the Prime Garden Hotel, located in Atun-iju, along Idi-Iroko Road.
Nigeria’s federal investigators, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), have arrested 18 individuals suspected of engaging in internet fraud in Ogun State.
According to a statement released on Wednesday by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Commission, the suspects were arrested at the Prime Garden Hotel, located in Atun-iju, along Idi-Iroko Road.
The commission stated that the operation was based on actionable intelligence linking the location to coordinated online fraud activities.
The anti-graft agency said the arrested suspects include a suspected kingpin alleged to have defrauded an individual of the sum of N200 million.
The operatives recovered a red-coloured Lexus IS 250, a box of jewellery, various sums of local and foreign currencies, a U.S. driver’s licence bearing the name Eva Lovia, and an identification card belonging to a U.S. military officer named Julian Miguel Arroyo.
From the other suspects, EFCC operatives also recovered a vehicle, several laptops, and incriminating documents believed to be used in fraudulent operations.
The commission noted that the suspects will be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The arrest added to a growing list of cybercrime cases, highlighting a troubling surge in online fraud, commonly known in Nigeria as “Yahoo Yahoo.”
In June 2025, EFCC operatives in Enugu arrested 38 suspected fraudsters, including two women, during a raid on a luxury apartment complex. Items recovered included over 40 smartphones, nine laptops, two vehicles, and multiple SIM and ATM cards.
Similarly, in April, the Lagos Zonal Command apprehended 24 suspects in the Lekki area for allegedly being involved in dating scams and identity theft targeting foreign nationals.
The suspects reportedly used stolen images and fake social media profiles to lure unsuspecting victims into sending money and personal information.
The EFCC has consistently warned hotels, lounges, and short-let apartment owners against allowing their premises to be used for criminal activities, pledging continued nationwide operations to root out cybercrime.
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, recently reiterated the agency’s zero-tolerance stance on internet fraud, stressing that “cybercriminals are damaging Nigeria’s reputation and must be held accountable.”
