By Onoja Baba, Nigeria
The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has recorded significant breakthroughs in its ongoing fight against cybercrime, dismantling a sophisticated cross-border fraud syndicate and arresting several suspects involved in financial fraud schemes.
According to statement signed and issued on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, under the leadership of Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, the operations highlight the Force’s determination to protect foreign direct investment and safeguard Nigeria’s digital and financial ecosystem.
In one major intelligence-led operation, the NPF-NCCC dismantled a syndicate after receiving actionable intelligence from the East Africa Sub-Sahara Africa Safe Promotion Foundation, a registered NGO based in Nairobi, Kenya.
The suspect, Agbor Martins Black-Diamond, also known as Oruojong Black Diamond Agbor Martins, allegedly posed as an official of the World Bank and other US-based donor partners.
He was introduced to Kenyan victims Mr. Julius Kithome and Ms. Cynthia Kithome by Rev. Edy Ndeto in Nairobi. The complainants reportedly transferred a total of USD 250,000 over three years for purported registration and administrative fees to unlock donor funding. No actual funding was ever released.
Instead, the suspect allegedly organised sham symposiums in Nigeria and South Africa.
In 2024, he further induced the victims to obtain a bank loan against their family property in pursuit of a non-existent 850,000-dollar empowerment fund in Ghana.
Financial analysis confirmed substantial inflows from the Kenyan victims, including 57,975 dollars between February and July 2023. Agbor Martins Black-Diamond was arrested on March 31, 2026.
His entity, Black Diamond African Beauty Restoration Foundation, was found to be unregistered in Nigeria. He later registered United African Continent Limited in November 2024 in an apparent attempt to legitimise his activities.
Investigations also revealed that he extended similar fraudulent schemes to local farmers in Kuje Area Council, collecting 50,000 naira each under the guise of empowerment programmes.
In a separate operation on April 3, 2026, the NPF-NCCC arrested Chinedu Mbachu, a former employee of NewLife Ventures in Makurdi, Benue State, following a complaint lodged by Lex Excellentia on behalf of Mr. Emmanuel Enwelu. Mbachu was accused of unauthorised modification of computer systems, cybersquatting, and diversion of company funds.
He allegedly used his personal bank accounts to receive customer payments meant for the company. Items recovered from him include one Samsung A6 Plus mobile phone, NIN paper slip, and NIN digital slip.
Furthermore, the NPF-NCCC arrested two suspects, Ayodele Daramola, a 31-year-old employee of a private company, and Dada Babatunde Oluwatobi, a 29-year-old non-staff member, for alleged criminal conspiracy, breach of data privacy, business email compromise, unauthorised access to computer networks, fraud, money laundering, and forgery.
Between May and December 2025, Ayodele Daramola, who worked in the investment booking section, allegedly conspired with Dada Babatunde Oluwatobi to divert company funds.
The suspects reportedly siphoned a total of 85 million naira by exploiting internal systems and channelling the money through a commercial bank account belonging to Dada Babatunde Oluwatobi. Of the proceeds, approximately 17.85 million naira (21 percent) was retained by Dada Babatunde Oluwatobi, while 67.15 million naira (79 percent) was transferred to an online bank account linked to Ayodele Daramola. Further probes showed that about 61 million naira received by Daramola was spent on online gambling and betting platforms.
Items recovered from the suspects include a cash sum of 4 million naira, one unserviceable Lexus ES350 with registration number Lagos JJJ878JZ, one Dell laptop, and one iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Investigations are ongoing, with intensified efforts to recover the remaining diverted funds and prosecute all parties involved in accordance with the law.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reiterated that Nigeria is not a safe haven for cybercriminals. He assured the public and the international community that the Nigeria Police Force will relentlessly pursue all persons, both domestic and foreign, who exploit technology and cross-bo
rder networks for fraudulent purposes.
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