Daud Olatunji
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested nine suspects in Nigeria over alleged involvement in cybercrime and scam operations targeting victims across international borders.
The operation, which also led to the seizure of 53 electronic devices, uncovered approximately $11m in funds identified as potentially freezable across multiple countries, according to the FBI.
The FBI Director, Kash Patel, disclosed the development in a statement published on Monday, October 26, 2026, describing the operation as part of efforts to dismantle international cybercriminal networks accused of defrauding victims of billions of dollars.
Patel said the suspects operated from scam centres in Nigeria, allegedly exploiting unsuspecting victims and stealing their life savings while conducting activities across national boundaries.
He said the criminals appeared to believe they could evade law enforcement by operating from outside the jurisdictions where their victims lived.
“They’re wrong,” the FBI director declared, warning that international cybercriminals would be pursued regardless of their location.
The operation, code-named Operation Blackout, is aimed at disrupting transnational cybercrime networks responsible for financial fraud targeting Americans and other potential victims.
Announcing the outcome, Patel listed nine arrests, the seizure of 53 electronic devices and the identification of $11m in potentially freezable funds across multiple countries as the major achievements of the latest operation in Nigeria.
He also acknowledged the cooperation of Nigerian law enforcement agencies and their partners in London, describing their collaboration as instrumental to the operation.
The development highlights the growing importance of international cooperation in tackling cybercrime, particularly schemes that exploit digital platforms and cross-border financial channels to defraud victims.
The seizure of electronic devices could provide investigators with evidence to examine the suspects’ alleged activities, identify possible accomplices and trace financial transactions linked to the operations.
However, the FBI’s statement, as reported, did not identify the nine suspects, disclose the locations of the alleged scam centres or specify the Nigerian law enforcement agencies directly involved.
It also did not provide details of the individual offences allegedly committed by the suspects or clarify whether formal charges had been filed against them.
Similarly, the $11m identified by investigators was described as potentially freezable funds, not money already recovered or returned to victims.
The arrests underscore the continuing challenge facing law enforcement agencies as cybercriminal networks exploit international borders and digital technology to carry out financial fraud.
The FBI reiterated its determination to pursue perpetrators targeting Americans from overseas, insisting that operating outside the United States would not shield cybercriminals from investigation and prosecution.
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