The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says 11 suspects involved in cybercrimes targeting Japanese victims have been arrested, following a collaborative operation with the National Police Agency of Japan (NPA).

In a statement released on the X page of the PPF on Monday, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the force spokesperson, said reports of five cybercrime cases were received and acted upon.

“On April 3, 2024, the NPF National Cybercrime Centre, working in conjunction with Nigeria’s National Central Bureau and the NCB Tokyo, received reports regarding five cybercrime cases linked to 13 identified threat actors operating from Nigeria,” the statement reads.

“The subsequent investigation led to the apprehension of eleven individuals and unveiled an extensive network that exploited social media platforms, particularly Instagram, to lure unsuspecting victims into fraudulent romantic relationships.

“Victims were duped into transferring funds through wire transactions, which were eventually converted into cryptocurrency and funneled to various digital wallets in Nigeria.

“The preliminary stages of the investigation yielded the recovery of $33,320, with ongoing efforts to reclaim additional stolen funds and dismantle the entire syndicate responsible for these crimes.”

Adejobi said the “Nigeria Police Force remains committed to using all available resources and emerging technologies to combat cybercrime and ensure public safety”