EFCC arrests four Chinese nationals, 101 Nigerians for ‘internet fraud’

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 105 suspects in Abuja for alleged internet fraud.

The anti-graft agency said the arrests were made on January 9, adding that 101 of those taken into custody are Nigerians, and four are Chinese.

In a statement issued by Dele Oyewale, head of media and publicity of the EFCC, the commission said the suspects were arrested in a business apartment in the Gudu axis of Abuja, where they allegedly operated a hotel review job scam targeting Europeans.

The EFCC said the suspects will be charged after investigation is concluded. 

“In its ongoing efforts to clean the nation of internet fraud and other acts of corruption, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested four Chinese and 101 Nigerians in a business apartment in the Gudu axis of Abuja,” the statement reads.

“They were arrested on Thursday, January 9, 2025. The suspects, comprising 67 males (including four Chinese) and 38 females, were allegedly involved in a hotel review job scam targeting victims and hotels in Europe and other parts of the world.”

On December 16, the commission said it made its largest single-day operation against cryptocurrency and romance scam networks.

The commission arrested 792 suspects in a seven-storey building in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The suspects included 114 Chinese nationals, 40 Filipinos, two Kazakhstanis, one Pakistani, and one Indonesian.