The Nigeria Police Force has arrested no fewer than 1,088 suspects linked to financial crimes in separate operations across the country in 2024, recovering $11.45 million and ₦142.26 billion in the process.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a statement released Tuesday, highlighting the arrests and recoveries as part of efforts to address Nigeria’s placement on the Financial Action Task Force grey list.
Adejobi explained that Nigeria’s inclusion on the FATF grey list in February 2023 marked the country as a high-risk jurisdiction for money laundering and terrorism financing.
“In response to this critical designation, the Nigeria Police Force has intensified its fight against financial crimes through specialized units such as the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), the National Cybercrime Centre, and the newly established Anti-Money Laundering Unit,” Adejobi stated.
Adejobi revealed that the efforts of these units over the past year resulted in 1,088 arrests, 152 convictions, and the recovery of $11.45 million and ₦142.26 billion.
He noted that the National Cybercrime Centre played a pivotal role, accounting for 751 cybercrime-related arrests and the recovery of ₦8.82 billion, $84,000, and 115,237.91 USDT.
“One notable achievement under the Centre’s operations was ‘Operation Butterfly Net,’ which addressed a cyberattack on Flutterwave. This operation led to the arrest of 179 suspects involved in laundering over ₦11 billion,” Adejobi said.
Adejobi further highlighted the establishment of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Sections as a significant step toward strengthening financial investigations in the country.
“To date, over 2,000 officers across various units have undergone specialized training in money laundering and terrorism financing investigations, reflecting the Force’s commitment to improving Nigeria’s global standing in combating financial crimes,” he added.
