…To launch 24/7 cybercrime response centre
From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 146 foreign nationals allegedly involved in one of the biggest international cybercrime syndicates operating in the country.
EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, who disclosed this Tuesday, at the 2025 National Cybersecurity Conference in Abuja, said the suspects had been using Nigerian identities, email accounts, and IP addresses to commit cross-border fraud, giving the world the false impression that the crimes were being perpetrated by Nigerians.
He said the arrests were made through a new EFCC-led operation targeting transnational cybercrime rings.
The Commission, he added, is working closely with international partners such as the FBI, UK authorities, and the Italian government, with whom it recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly investigate and prosecute global cybercriminals.
Olukoyede said the EFCC is also preparing to repatriate the arrested suspects after they serve their jail terms in Nigeria.
To strengthen its internal capacity, he said that the Commission will fully digitalise its operations by the end of 2025, covering petition submission, investigations, and prosecutions.
As part of its reform efforts, the Commission is also establishing a 24/7 Cyber Crime Rapid Response Centre to provide real-time responses to cyberattacks. “Our target is to respond to any cyberattack within one hour,” he said.
Olukoyede also announced plans to set up a Cybersecurity Research and Rehabilitation Centre to redirect the skills of convicted cybercriminals toward positive innovation. The centre will train 500 people at a time, provide stipends, and create opportunities for mentorship and employment in the tech sector.
He lamented that many young offenders return to cybercrime due to lack of opportunities and called for more inclusive development efforts to channel their talents productively.
The EFCC boss said cybersecurity is no longer just a technical concern but a governance and national security issue, adding that stronger collaboration is needed between regulators, enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and civil society groups.
He revealed that some cyberattacks on Nigerian financial institutions had been aided by insiders in local banks, who provide foreign hackers with physical access devices, allowing them to operate remotely from Eastern Europe.
According to him, “We recently uncovered one of the biggest international cyber fraud syndicates operating from Nigeria. The syndicate was largely made up of foreigners using Nigerian identities and infrastructure to commit fraud.
“As of yesterday, we had arrested 146 members of the syndicate. After serving their jail terms, they will be repatriated to their home countries.
“We are working with international agencies such as the FBI, UK authorities, and the Italian government. We’ve signed MoUs and agreed to jointly tackle transnational cybercrime. Nigeria will not serve as a safe base for international cybercriminals.
“By the end of this year, everything about our operations at the EFCC will be digitalised. From the submission of petitions to investigation and prosecution, we are already halfway through.
“We are setting up a 24/7 Cyber Crime Rapid Response Centre. Our goal is to respond to any reported cyberattack within one hour.
“We are also building a Cybersecurity Research Centre that will train 500 people at a time, especially young Nigerians who have been convicted of cybercrime. We want to redirect their skills toward innovation, not crime.
“Cybersecurity is not merely a technical challenge, it is a governance imperative. It demands leadership, coordination, and accountability..”