Police Bust Transnational Fraudster, Arrest Fake W’Bank Official, 2 Others Over N85m Scam
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has recorded major breakthroughs in its ongoing crackdown on cybercrime, dismantling a cross-border fraud syndicate and arresting multiple suspects linked to high-profile financial crimes.
The operations, led by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) under the directive of Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, targeted fraud schemes involving international victims, insider abuse of corporate systems, and business email compromise.
In one of the cases, operatives arrested Agbor Martins Black-Diamond, who allegedly posed as an official of the World Bank to defraud foreign victims. The suspect was apprehended on March 31, 2026, following intelligence received from a Nairobi-based NGO, the East Africa Sub-Sahara Africa Safe Promotion Foundation.
Investigations revealed that the suspect deceived two Kenyan nationals into transferring a total of $250,000 over three years under the pretext of facilitating access to donor funding. Police said the funds were collected as fictitious registration and administrative fees, while no such funding existed. The suspect reportedly organised fake symposiums in Nigeria and South Africa to sustain the fraud.
Further findings showed that in 2024, the victims were persuaded to secure a bank loan using family property as collateral to access a non-existent $850,000 empowerment fund in Ghana. Financial analysis confirmed multiple inflows, including $57,975 received between February and July 2023.
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Police also uncovered that the suspect operated through an unregistered entity, Black Diamond African Beauty Restoration Foundation, before registering another company, United African Continent Limited, in November 2024 to lend legitimacy to his activities. He is additionally accused of defrauding local farmers in Kuje Area Council, Abuja, by collecting ₦50,000 each under false empowerment schemes.
In a separate operation on April 3, 2026, the NPF-NCCC arrested a former employee, Chinedu Mbachu, over allegations of cyber-related fraud against his former employer, NewLife Ventures in Makurdi. The suspect allegedly manipulated company systems, diverted customer payments into personal accounts, and engaged in cybersquatting. Items recovered from him include a mobile phone and identity documents.
In another case, police arrested two suspects — Ayodele Daramola, 31, and Dada Babatunde Oluwatobi, 29 — over a sophisticated business email compromise (BEC) scheme involving a private firm. Investigators said the duo conspired between May and December 2025 to divert company funds amounting to ₦85 million.
According to the police, the suspects exploited internal systems to channel the funds through a commercial bank account. Analysis showed that 21 per cent of the proceeds, about ₦17.85 million, was retained by Babatunde, while 79 per cent, approximately ₦67.15 million, was transferred to an account linked to Daramola. Of that amount, about ₦61 million was reportedly spent on online gambling platforms.
Recovered exhibits include ₦4 million in cash, a Lexus ES350 vehicle, a laptop, and a smartphone. Authorities say efforts are ongoing to recover the remaining funds and ensure prosecution.
Reaffirming the Force’s stance, the Inspector-General warned that Nigeria would not serve as a safe haven for cybercriminals, stressing that law enforcement agencies would continue to pursue offenders exploiting digital platforms and cross-border networks for fraud.
The police also assured both local and international stakeholders of their commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s digital economy and maintaining the integrity of its financial systems.
By PRNigeria
