FBI arrests nine in Nigeria over international cybercrime
By OUR REPORTER
The operation, codenamed Operation Blackout, targets international cybercrime networks and scam centres allegedly involved in fraudulent activities against victims across national borders.
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested nine suspects and seized 53 electronic devices in Nigeria as part of an international crackdown on cybercriminal networks accused of defrauding Americans of billions of dollars.
FBI Director, Kash Patel, disclosed this in a statement posted on his official X account on Sunday, October 25, 2026, noting that the operation also led to the identification of $11 million in funds that could potentially be frozen across multiple countries.
The operation, codenamed Operation Blackout, targets international cybercrime networks and scam centres allegedly involved in fraudulent activities against victims across national borders.
According to Patel, the latest phase of the operation in Nigeria resulted in nine arrests and the seizure of 53 electronic devices believed to be connected to the investigation.
He added that investigators had identified approximately $11 million in potentially recoverable or freezable funds across different countries as part of efforts to disrupt the financial operations of the suspected criminal networks.
Patel described the targeted scam centres as criminal enterprises that prey on unsuspecting victims, deprive them of their life savings and exploit international borders in an attempt to evade law enforcement.
He said the operation underscored the FBI’s commitment to pursuing cybercriminals wherever they operate, regardless of national boundaries.
“Operation Blackout is taking the fight directly to the international cybercriminal networks stealing billions from Americans,” the FBI director said.
Patel also commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and the FBI’s partners in London for their cooperation in the operation.
He warned cybercriminals operating outside the United States that geographical distance would not protect them from investigation and prosecution.
“To the criminals targeting Americans from overseas: JUSTICE WILL FIND YOU,” he declared.
The operation highlights the importance of international cooperation in tackling cybercrime, particularly schemes that exploit digital technology and cross-border financial systems to defraud victims.
However, the identities of the nine suspects, the specific offences they allegedly committed and the Nigerian agencies involved in their arrests were not disclosed in the statement provided. The allegations against the suspects remain subject to the outcome of the relevant investigations and any subsequent legal proceedings.
