The Delta State Police Command revealed on Wednesday that an Internet fraud academy, where over 100 teenagers were arrested by the Nigerian Army, enticed its victims with promises of training in Bitcoin and forex trading.
Bright Edafe, the command’s Public Relations Officer, shared details in a video on his X page, explaining that the suspects arrived at the academy only to discover it was a “Hustling Kingdom.”
NaijaTimesUSA earlier reported that the soldiers from the 3rd Battalion Nigerian Army Barracks raided an estate in the Warri area, leading to the arrest of over 100 suspected internet fraudsters. raided an estate in the Warri area, leading to the arrest of over 100 suspected internet fraudsters.
The school was reportedly engaged in training cybercriminals, and the suspects were handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution
Edafe emphasized that the military’s intervention was prompted by a call from one of the suspects to a family member using a laptop provided by the academy operators. Upon learning of the trap, the family contacted the military, resulting in the arrest of 123 suspects, many of whom were teenagers.
He explained that the suspects had been lured with promises of learning BTC trading and forex, only to find themselves in Hustlers HK, a notorious cybercrime training network.
“We are here at the Ekpan Police Station Effurun Divisional HQ, where we will be parading about 123 suspected Internet fraudsters who were engaged in Internet fraud,” Edafe stated.
“Their modus operandi is that they engage their agents who go on social media to flaunt wealth, which most times isn’t even theirs, and convince unsuspecting boys aged 17, 18, 19, and 20 that they want to teach them forex and crypto business.”
He added, “They lure some from Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, and Ibadan to that particular estate and beat the hell out of them, feeding them only when they feel like.”
Edafe noted that the suspects were deceived by agents showcasing fake wealth on social media, leading them into the fraudulent scheme. Once lured to the estate, they faced physical abuse and exploitation.
Efforts by our correspondent to determine whether the academy operators had been arrested were unsuccessful, as the PPRO did not respond to calls and messages.
