By Ghazali Ibrahim
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested nine people in Nigeria and seized 53 electronic devices in an operation targeting international cybercrime networks.
FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed this in a statement posted on his official X account on Sunday, adding that the operation also led to the identification of $11 million in potentially freezable funds across multiple countries.
According to Patel, the operation, code-named Operation Blackout, targets criminal networks involved in online fraud against Americans.
“Our latest operation in Nigeria delivered: nine arrests, 53 electronic devices seized, and $11 million in potentially freezable funds identified across multiple countries,” he said.
Patel said the networks operated across national borders and used scam centres to defraud victims, often depriving them of their life savings.
“These scam centres exploit innocent victims, steal life savings, and operate across international borders believing they are beyond the reach of law enforcement,” he said.
The FBI director commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and their partners in London for their cooperation in the operation.
He also warned that the United States would continue to pursue individuals involved in cybercrime, regardless of where they operated.
“To the criminals targeting Americans from overseas: JUSTICE WILL FIND YOU,” Patel added.
The statement did not identify the nine suspects or specify where in Nigeria the arrests were made.
