Pat Stevens/
The Nigeria Police Force has announced a series of breakthroughs in cybercrime investigations, including the arrest of a suspected fake World Bank official in a cross-border scam and, in a separate case, a fraud suspect who allegedly spent N61 million from illicit proceeds on online gambling.
The Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, said the operations were carried out by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre as part of efforts to tackle financial crimes and protect the integrity of Nigeria’s digital space.
In the first case, operatives dismantled a cross-border fraud syndicate and arrested Agbor Martins Black-Diamond, also known as Oruojong Black Diamond Agbor Martins, for allegedly impersonating an official of the World Bank and other donor agencies.
According to police findings, the suspect defrauded two Kenyan nationals of $250,000 over a three-year period by falsely promising to facilitate access to international funding.
The victims were made to pay various fees, including registration and administrative charges, but no funding was secured.
Investigators said the suspect went further in 2024 by persuading the victims to obtain a bank loan using family property as collateral, with the promise of accessing a non-existent $850,000 empowerment fund in Ghana.
He allegedly sustained the scheme by organising fake symposiums in Nigeria and South Africa.
The suspect was arrested on March 31, 2026.
Police said his foundation was not registered in Nigeria, and that he later registered another entity in November 2024 in what is believed to be an attempt to legitimise his activities.
He is also accused of collecting N50,000 from farmers in Kuje Area Council under false empowerment claims.
In a separate operation, the cybercrime unit arrested two suspects over a business email compromise scheme involving the diversion of N85 million from a company.
One of the suspects, Ayodele Daramola, an employee, allegedly conspired with an external accomplice, Dada Babatunde Oluwatobi, to gain unauthorised access to the company’s systems and reroute funds.
Police said the proceeds were shared, with about N67.15 million traced to Daramola. Of this amount, approximately N61 million was spent on online gambling and betting platforms.
Recovered items from the suspects include N4 million in cash, an unserviceable Lexus ES350 vehicle, a laptop and a mobile phone.
Authorities said efforts are ongoing to recover the remaining funds and prosecute those involved.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, reiterated that Nigeria is not a safe haven for cybercriminals and assured that all offenders exploiting digital systems would be tracked and brought to justice.
Investigations into the cases are ongoing.
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