adminEFCC Arrests 792 Suspects in Major Raid on Alleged Fraud Hub in Lagos
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 792 suspects during a raid on a building in Lagos believed to be a major hub for international fraud operations. The suspects, who allegedly lured victims with false romance offers and coerced them into investing in phoney cryptocurrency schemes, were apprehended on December 10.
According to EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren, the operation targeted the seven-storey Big Leaf Building located in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. Among those arrested were 148 Chinese nationals and 40 Filipinos. The building was reportedly being used as a luxury call center from which fraudsters contacted victims, primarily from the Americas and Europe, using social media and messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram.
Uwujaren explained that the suspects employed sophisticated social engineering tactics. Staff would seduce potential victims online or entice them with seemingly lucrative investment opportunities. Once the victims were engaged, they were pressured to transfer funds for fake cryptocurrency investments and other non-existent ventures.
“Nigerian accomplices were recruited by the foreign kingpins to prospect for victims online through phishing, targeting mostly Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, and several others from European countries,” Uwujaren stated. He added that after Nigerian collaborators secured the trust of potential victims, the foreign operatives would take over the task of defrauding them.
The EFCC confirmed it is collaborating with international partners to investigate potential links to organized crime networks. Items seized during the raid included computers, mobile phones, and vehicles, which will be analyzed for evidence of criminal activity.
The operation is part of an ongoing effort by Nigerian authorities to tackle financial crimes that have tarnished the country’s international reputation. The EFCC has vowed to intensify its crackdown on such activities, particularly those that involve foreign actors leveraging local accomplices to target unsuspecting victims abroad.
