The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced nine arrests in Nigeria over an alleged $11 million international cybercrime operation.
FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
The development comes days after the FBI said 28 people had been arrested across Africa as part of an international crackdown on online scams, with more than 350 electronic devices seized in connection with the alleged $11 million in funds.
FBI announces nine arrests in Nigeria
According to Patel, the FBI’s “Operation Blackout” culminated in nine arrests in Nigeria.
He highlighted that the operation was taking the fight directly to international cybercriminal networks stealing billions of dollars from Americans.
- “53 electronic devices seized.
- $11 MILLION in potentially freezable funds identified across multiple countries,” he added.
He explained that these scam centres allegedly exploit innocent victims, steal their life savings, and operate across international borders under the belief that they are beyond the reach of law enforcement.
- “They’re wrong,” he added.
Patel also commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and partners in London for their outstanding cooperation in the operation.
He maintained that criminals targeting Americans from overseas would be brought to justice.
FBI report highlights cybercrime complaints
Nairametrics previously reported that the FBI released its 2025 Internet Crime Report in 2026, ranking countries with the highest number of cybercrime complaints submitted to its Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
The report, published by the IC3, highlighted global trends in cyber-enabled crimes and financial losses.
It showed that complaints were received from more than 200 countries, contributing to nearly $1.6 billion in losses linked to international cybercrime activities.
The report listed Nigeria as having about 1,219 complainants in the year under review.
Cybercrime losses continue to rise
In 2025, the FBI revealed that investment scams accounted for $5.8 billion, representing more than 50% of all reported cryptocurrency losses in 2024.
- According to data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), total internet crime losses surged to $16.6 billion, marking a 33% increase compared with 2023.
- In Nigeria, the collapse of digital asset trading platform CBEX reignited urgent calls for stricter government regulation and enforcement.
- The platform’s sudden crash, which left investors unable to access their funds, caused financial losses exceeding N2.4 billion and drew attention to critical gaps in Nigeria’s regulatory framework for digital investments.
The collapse sparked widespread outrage and raised questions about the oversight of government agencies tasked with regulating such platforms.