Nigerian authorities have arrested 113 foreign nationals in connection with high-level hacking activities deemed a threat to national security, officials said Sunday.
The arrests followed a coordinated raid on a building in the Jahi area of Abuja, according to Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force. Adejobi said the suspects were detained after an extensive operation targeting cybercrime networks.
Authorities reported that the suspects used computers and advanced technology to carry out a range of cybercrimes, including hacking, identity theft, fraudulent email schemes, and other digital frauds. These activities posed significant risks to both public and private sectors as internet penetration in the country continues to grow, Adejobi noted.
Cybercrime remains a persistent challenge in Nigeria, where internet fraud, often called “yahoo-yahoo,” has become widespread. According to officials, the foreign suspects taught younger Nigerians how to commit identity theft, ATM scams, and bank verification number fraud, expanding the pool of cybercriminals.
This operation comes after a series of similar raids. In June, 117 suspects were arrested on computer fraud charges, and in Delta State, authorities recently shut down a “yahoo school” known as Hustle Kingdom, where over 100 young people were allegedly trained in cybercrime.
The Nigerian Communications Commission estimates the country loses about $500 million annually to cyber-related offenses. A Global Threat Index published earlier this year by Check Point Software Technologies ranked Nigeria 19th out of 112 countries experiencing an increase in cyberattacks. Globally, cybercrime is projected to cost over $10.5 trillion in 2024, up from $3 trillion just a few years ago, according to the 2024 Cybersecurity Ventures Report.
