Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has executed a massive crackdown on international online fraud, arresting 792 suspects in Lagos. The raid targeted the seven-storey Big Leaf Building, reportedly a hub for global online scams.
Among those detained were 148 Chinese and 40 Filipino nationals, highlighting the multinational scale of the operation. EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren revealed that the building functioned as a call center orchestrating romance and cryptocurrency investment scams. Fraudsters preyed on victims across the Americas and Europe using social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram.
The operation involved cultivating online relationships or promising lucrative investment returns. Once trust was established, victims were manipulated into transferring funds into fake schemes. The EFCC disclosed that Nigerian collaborators initiated the schemes, while foreign accomplices managed the financial exploitation process.
During the raid, authorities confiscated computers, phones, and vehicles linked to the fraudulent activities. The EFCC is now collaborating with international law enforcement agencies to unravel potential connections to organized crime networks.
This landmark operation underscores the increasing global threat of online scams and the importance of cross-border cooperation in combating cybercrime.
