The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 105 suspects in Abuja for alleged internet fraud.

The anti-graft agency said the arrests were made on January 9, adding that 101 of those taken into custody are Nigerians, and four are Chinese.

In a statement issued by Dele Oyewale, head of media and publicity of the EFCC, the commission said the suspects were arrested in a business apartment in the Gudu axis of Abuja, where they allegedly operated a hotel review job scam targeting Europeans.

The EFCC said the suspects will be charged after investigation is concluded.

“In its ongoing efforts to clean the nation of internet fraud and other acts of corruption, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested four Chinese and 101 Nigerians in a business apartment in the Gudu axis of Abuja,” the statement reads.

“They were arrested on Thursday, January 9, 2025. The suspects, comprising 67 males (including four Chinese) and 38 females, were allegedly involved in a hotel review job scam targeting victims and hotels in Europe and other parts of the world.”

On December 16, the commission said it made its largest single-day operation against cryptocurrency and romance scam networks.

The commission arrested 792 suspects in a seven-storey building in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The suspects included 114 Chinese nationals, 40 Filipinos, two Kazakhstanis, one Pakistani, and one Indonesian.

A former prison officer in the UK has been sentenced to 15 months in jail after being filmed engaging in sexual activity with an inmate.

Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, was identified by senior prison staff when the footage surfaced online and quickly went viral.

Abreu was arrested at Heathrow Airport while attempting to board a flight to Madrid with her father.

She had previously admitted to misconduct in public office.

Andrew Davy, the governor of Wandsworth, expressed the broader consequences of Abreu’s actions in a statement to Isleworth Crown Court.

He stated that her behavior had undone “less than a day” the years of effort female staff had invested to build respect and trust in the all-male prison.

He also noted that many female staff members reported being “hit on” more frequently by inmates and now felt “considered fair game.”

The court heard that the incident captured in the viral video occurred between June 26 and 28, and further investigation revealed additional misconduct.

A recording of Abreu performing a sex act on the same inmate was discovered on her prison-issued body-worn camera.

She admitted to having sexual relations with the prisoner on another occasion as well.

Judge Martin Edmunds KC described the viral video as part of a pattern of repeated misconduct rather than an isolated incident.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that investigations into the two prisoners identified in the video are ongoing.

A spokesperson for the Prison Service commented: “While the overwhelming majority of Prison Service staff are hardworking and honest, we’re catching more of the small minority who break the rules by bolstering our Counter Corruption Unit and strengthening our vetting processes. As today’s sentencing demonstrates, where officers do fall below our high standards we won’t hesitate to take robust action.”

The Prison Officers’ Association, which represents prison staff, acknowledged that corrupt individuals like Abreu undermine the efforts of their colleagues but emphasized that such cases represent a small minority.

As Operatives Recover Illicit Arms, Ammunition.

The Nigeria Police Force as part of its efforts to ensure the safety and security of all Nigerians by employing proactive, intelligence-driven strategies to combat crime have evolved improved strategies to combat crimes and criminality.

These efforts have led to the disruption of criminal networks and a notable decrease in incidents of organized and violent crime, enhancing the overall security situation in the country.

On the 1st of November 2024, operatives of the FID-IRT arrested one Ogaga Dickson ‘m’ 35 years, a member of a notorious armed robbery syndicate responsible for the death of CSP Hassan Jega, the DPO Agbarho Division, Delta State, who was killed on the 14th of October 2024, during a fierce gun battle between a team of police officers led by the deceased DPO and the assailants, after the team of police men had foiled one of their robbery operations.

The operatives had earlier stormed the gang’s den and engaged them in a fierce gun duel leading to the neutralization of 4 of the gang members. Upon Ogaga’s arrest, the police recovered one Ak 47 rifle, one English pistol, one locally made pistol, ammunition of various calibres and six exotic vehicles.

Similarly, police operatives apprehended a child-trafficking syndicate led by one Pastor Dayo Bernard ‘m’ of End Time Army Ministry, Bukuru, Plateau State on the 2nd of December 2024.

The operation led to the rescue of five children between the ages of 2-4, abducted from various homes in Jos, Plateau State, and the arrest of other members of the syndicate identified as Rita Agboeze ‘f’, Victoria Ugwu ‘f’, Nanman Puntel ‘f’, and Peter Ukwuani ‘m’. Upon interrogation, the principal suspect confessed to having abducted and sold 13 children at varying prices, all of whom have been recovered by the police and reunited with their families through the Plateau State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

Furthermore, In line with the IGP’s directive to all police detectives to mop up every illicit arms and ammunition in circulation, operatives of the FID-IRT have successfully recovered 14 Ak-47 Rifles.

These operations exemplify the unwavering resolve of the Nigeria Police Force and highlight the effectiveness of our efforts to combat crime and enhance national security.

ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA.

6th January 2025.