Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Benin Zonal Directorate, have arrested 25 individuals allegedly involved in internet fraud.
The arrests took place on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at a suspected cybercrime training centre in Benin City, Edo State.
EFCC raids Yahoo academy
According to the EFCC, the operation was based on credible intelligence that identified the apartment as a “yahoo academy,” a facility used to train individuals in internet fraud and related criminal activities.
The swift raid uncovered a hub of illicit activity, further underscoring the growing issue of cybercrime in the region.
During the operation, the EFCC recovered several items linked to the alleged crimes, including six luxury cars, laptops, and smartphones. The seized items are believed to have been tools used to perpetrate online scams.
The EFCC emphasized its commitment to tackling cybercrime, a growing concern that continues to impact individuals and businesses locally and internationally.
“The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” the commission stated, reaffirming its resolve to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Suspected Yahoo Boys Open Fire On EFCC Officers
Legit.ng had earlier reported that suspected Internet fraudsters, known as Yahoo boys, had killed a yet-to-be-identified officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Onitsha, Anambra state.
The Yahoo boys opened fire on EFCC operatives, killed one, and injured another officer of the anti-graft agency.
EFCC set to go after “Yahoo boys” in Nigeria
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it is ready to support the effort to combat internet scams.
This came after hundreds of fraudulent Nigerian Instagram and Facebook accounts were removed by Meta. The social media giant removed almost 63,000 fake accounts last summer because they were linked to the growing fraud issue.