Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 792 individuals, including 40 Filipino nationals, in a large-scale raid targeting an alleged international fraud operation in Lagos, Reuters reported.
The suspects, which also included 148 Chinese nationals, were detained on December 10 at the Big Leaf Building, a seven-storey luxury facility reportedly used as a call center to orchestrate scams.
According to EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren, the operation focused on luring victims, mainly from the Americas and Europe, through social media platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram. Victims were seduced with fake romantic relationships or offered bogus cryptocurrency investments, leading them to transfer money for non-existent projects.
Uwujaren explained that local Nigerian accomplices were tasked with identifying potential victims, while foreign operatives carried out the fraudulent schemes. He added that the EFCC is working with international partners to uncover further links to organized crime.
Authorities seized electronic devices, including computers and phones, as well as vehicles during the raid. Investigations are ongoing.
