Two suspects arrested for cybercrime in Nigeria
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Punch
Two suspects have been arrested in Nigeria in separate cybercrime investigations, including one into a phishing operation that collected about 2.1 million email addresses. INTERPOL announced the arrests on Thursday as part of Operation Serengeti III, conducted in 21 countries from 29 June to 31 August 2026, according to Punch.
Interpol has announced the arrest of two suspects in Nigeria as part of separate cybercrime investigations, including a phishing and business email fraud operation that collected about 2.1 million email addresses. The international police organisation reported the arrests on Thursday in an update on Operation Serengeti III published on its website.
In the first investigation, authorities also recovered a luxury vehicle that was allegedly bought with criminal proceeds. A second investigation targeted an international investment scam promoted on messaging apps. Investigators traced more than $2.4 million in suspected criminal funds, much of which was allegedly laundered through cryptocurrency, according to Interpol.
Conducted from 29 June to 31 August 2026 in 21 countries, Operation Serengeti III led to 1,462 arrests and the dismantling of 10,909 malicious networks. Interpol also said that more than $105 million in illicit funds had been recovered and that 65,929 victims had been targeted. Losses linked to the criminal activities uncovered are estimated to exceed $385 million.
The Nigerian investigations were part of an operation targeting, among other crimes, online fraud, ransomware, business email compromise and digital extortion. Interpol’s Director of Cybercrime, Neal Jetton, stressed that international cooperation was essential to disrupting networks operating across borders.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
