Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency has arrested 792 suspects in a large-scale raid on a building allegedly serving as a hub for international online fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reported that the operation took place on December 10 at the seven-storey Big Leaf Building in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. Among those arrested were 148 Chinese nationals and 40 Filipinos.
EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren revealed that the building functioned as a call centre targeting victims across the Americas and Europe. Fraudsters use social media platforms, including WhatsApp and Instagram, to lure individuals with fake romance schemes and investment opportunities, particularly in cryptocurrency.
After gaining victims’ trust, they were pressured to transfer money into fraudulent schemes. Uwujaren explained that Nigerian operatives made initial contact with victims, while their foreign counterparts executed the scams.
During the raid, the EFCC confiscated computers, mobile phones, and vehicles. The agency is now collaborating with international partners to investigate potential connections to organized crime networks.
Source: Africa News
