Lekki Now Hotbed Of Cyber Crime In Nigeria — EFCC

*402 suspects arrested in three months

Lekki, the fast-developing upper middle class area of Lagos
Metropolis, is emerging as the new hub of internet-related fraud.
Data from the investigation activities of the Lagos Command of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for the second
quarter of 2021, indicates that Lekki District is the preferred
location for all manner of cyber fraud syndicates.

Between April and June, 2021, the Advance Fee Fraud and Cyber
Crime Sections of the Command recorded a total of 402
internet-related fraud arrests. While the Advance Fee Fraud Section
was responsible for 243 arrests, the Cyber Crime Section executed
18 sting operations which resulted in 159 arrests, from which 13
convictions have so far been recorded.

Of the 159 suspects arrested by the Cyber Crime Section, 70 are
from Lekki, comprising communities such as Ajah, Badore, Victoria
Garden City, Sangotedo and Oniru.

Ajah accounted for 24 suspects, while Oniru and Sangotedo had 14
and 13 suspects respectively. Badore had 8 suspects. Neighbouring
Ikoyi and Eko Atlantic had 2 and one suspect each. Ikorodu and
Alagbado on the Lagos Mainland make up the remainder.

The suspects are mostly millennials, with 82 of them aged
between 25-34 years, which speaks to the fact that most of the
individuals arrested are either still in school, recent graduates
or university drop outs.

Analysis of the data from the Cyber Crime Section further shows
that the dominant form of internet crime is Dating Scam/Online
Dating Scam/Romance Scam. Sixty Four percent (64%) of individuals
arrested are involved in romance scam, followed closely by “Middle
Man Scam” and “Picking” which account for 8% and 7% respectively of
those arrested.

The 64% involved in the dating scam benefitted to the tune of
N8, 310,000; $349,290 USD; £ 900; €10 and Cryptocurrency
0.17513.

Other typologies of fraud identified include forgery, possession
of fraudulent documents, spamming, credit card fraud,
impersonation, rental scam, loan fraud, Business Email Compromise,
Hacking, stealing, cheque scam, phishing, and money laundering.

The data also reveals gift cards, at 39%, as the prevalent
method employed by the suspects to access their illicit funds. It
is followed by bank transfers at 27% and Cryptocurrency at 21%.

A total of $12, 512.49USD was recovered from the e-wallet
accounts of four suspects within the period.

*402 suspects arrested in three months

Lekki, the fast-developing upper middle class area of Lagos
Metropolis, is emerging as the new hub of internet-related fraud.
Data from the investigation activities of the Lagos Command of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for the second
quarter of 2021, indicates that Lekki District is the preferred
location for all manner of cyber fraud syndicates.

Between April and June, 2021, the Advance Fee Fraud and Cyber
Crime Sections of the Command recorded a total of 402
internet-related fraud arrests. While the Advance Fee Fraud Section
was responsible for 243 arrests, the Cyber Crime Section executed
18 sting operations which resulted in 159 arrests, from which 13
convictions have so far been recorded.

Of the 159 suspects arrested by the Cyber Crime Section, 70 are
from Lekki, comprising communities such as Ajah, Badore, Victoria
Garden City, Sangotedo and Oniru.

Ajah accounted for 24 suspects, while Oniru and Sangotedo had 14
and 13 suspects respectively. Badore had 8 suspects. Neighbouring
Ikoyi and Eko Atlantic had 2 and one suspect each. Ikorodu and
Alagbado on the Lagos Mainland make up the remainder.

The suspects are mostly millennials, with 82 of them aged
between 25-34 years, which speaks to the fact that most of the
individuals arrested are either still in school, recent graduates
or university drop outs.

Analysis of the data from the Cyber Crime Section further shows
that the dominant form of internet crime is Dating Scam/Online
Dating Scam/Romance Scam. Sixty Four percent (64%) of individuals
arrested are involved in romance scam, followed closely by “Middle
Man Scam” and “Picking” which account for 8% and 7% respectively of
those arrested.

The 64% involved in the dating scam benefitted to the tune of
N8, 310,000; $349,290 USD; £ 900; €10 and Cryptocurrency
0.17513.

Other typologies of fraud identified include forgery, possession
of fraudulent documents, spamming, credit card fraud,
impersonation, rental scam, loan fraud, Business Email Compromise,
Hacking, stealing, cheque scam, phishing, and money laundering.

The data also reveals gift cards, at 39%, as the prevalent
method employed by the suspects to access their illicit funds. It
is followed by bank transfers at 27% and Cryptocurrency at 21%.

A total of $12, 512.49USD was recovered from the e-wallet
accounts of four suspects within the period.