FBI arrests nine in Nigeria over cybercrime, seizes 53 electronic devices

By Ogundele Eniola

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced the arrest of nine suspects in Nigeria over alleged involvement in international cybercrime networks, with 53 electronic devices seized during the operation.

FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed the development on Monday, saying the operation, codenamed Operation Blackout, also led to the identification of $11 million in potentially freezable funds across multiple countries.

In a statement shared on his official X account, Patel said the operation targeted criminal networks accused of defrauding victims, particularly Americans, through scam centres operating across international borders.

“Operation Blackout is taking the fight directly to the international cybercriminal networks stealing billions from Americans,” he said.

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Patel added that the networks exploit victims, steal their life savings and operate across borders in an attempt to evade law enforcement.

The FBI director commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and their partners in London for their cooperation in the operation, warning that suspects involved in cybercrime targeting Americans would be pursued regardless of their location.

The arrests formed part of a wider international crackdown on online fraud networks operating in West Africa. According to the United States Department of Justice, the broader enforcement effort resulted in 28 arrests across Nigeria and Ghana, alongside the removal of more than 3.7 million scam-linked online accounts, pages and groups.

The operation also identified more than 120 people who had been trafficked, with authorities working to address their cases.

Patel did not disclose the identities of the nine suspects arrested in Nigeria or provide details of the specific locations where they were apprehended.

The suspects’ alleged involvement in cybercrime has not been established in court.