The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested 19 individuals for allegedly engaging in internet fraud in Benin City, Edo State, on Saturday.

As indicated in a statement posted on the agency’s X handle on Monday, the arrests were carried out by operatives of the EFCC’s Benin Zonal Directorate, who acted on reliable intelligence that pinpointed the suspects’ involvement in fraudulent online activities.

The intelligence reportedly linked the group to schemes designed to deceive victims through illicit internet operations.

Details of the alleged crimes have yet to be disclosed.

During the operation, authorities seized significant items from the suspects, including five exotic cars and multiple smartphones.

The statement read, “Operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Saturday, April 12, 2025, arrested 19 suspected internet fraudsters at different locations within Benin City, Edo State.

“The suspects were arrested based on credible intelligence that linked them to fraudulent internet activities.

“Items recovered from them included five exotic cars and smartphones.”

The EFCC has also assured the public that the suspects will face legal consequences as soon as investigations are complete.

“They would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” EFCC assured.

This latest crackdown follows a series of similar operations by the EFCC in Edo State and beyond, reflecting the agency’s intensified focus on tackling internet fraud, commonly referred to as “yahoo-yahoo” in Nigeria.

PUNCH

The Presidency on Sunday, reacted to the United States, US, District Court of Columbia ordering the Federal Bureau of Intelligence, FBI, to reveal President Bola Tinubu’s information.

Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga said there was nothing new to reveal about the case.

Onanuga said reports by Agent Moss of the FBI and the DEA have been in the public space for more than 30 years.

Reacting to questions from journalists, Onanuga said the reports did not indict the Nigerian leader.

DAILY POST reported that Judge Beryl Howell gave the order on Tuesday.

The development followed a motion by Aaron Greenspan, an American who is seeking a reconsideration of an earlier ruling.

Howell said protecting the information from public disclosure is “neither logical nor plausible.”

Greenspan had accused the FBI of violating the Freedom of Information Act, FOIA, by failing to release within the statutory time “documents relating to purported federal investigations into” Tinubu and one Abiodun Agbele.

Tinubu was claimed to have forfeited $460,000 to the American government in 1993 after authorities linked the funds to proceeds of narcotics trafficking.

Reacting, Onanuga posted on X: “Journalists have sought the Presidency’s reaction to the ruling last Tuesday by a Washington DC judge ordering the US FBI and DEA to release reports connected with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Our response is as follows:

“There is nothing new to be revealed. The report by Agent Moss of the FBI and the DEA report have been in the public space for more than 30 years.

“The reports did not indict the Nigerian leader. The lawyers are examining the ruling.”

A leading Nigerian technology innovator, Hanu Fejiro has launched a free training programme focused on cryptocurrency — blockchain, and decentralised finance (DeFi) — with the aim of opening up financial independence opportunities for young Nigerians.

Hosted on Telegram, the initiative is completely free and offers participants an opportunity to learn, engage, and earn, while gaining hands-on experience in the fast-evolving digital finance landscape. The first batch of over 300 participants, made up of participants from an inaugural training session in March 2024, and another set from February 28, 2025, will round off at the end of March 2025.

Speaking about the initiative, Fejiro emphasised his commitment to empowering young Nigerians with the skills necessary to win in a rapidly evolving digital world. “What if the cure of cancer, or world hunger is stored in an uneducated mind, we must do all we can to support everyone both old and young”, he said.

“Our goal  is to train a million people in my life time, empower them to win and participate  in this global transformation. We are creating opportunities and pathways to financial independence”, he emphasised.

The programme features a robust, interactive curriculum that includes Crypto & Blockchain fundamentals; Security Essentials of using Crypto safely and responsibly; and Real-world applications across industries. There’s also Interactive learning through live sessions with recognised industry experts, community engagement and hands-on practicals where participants also benefit from applying their skills in real-world scenarios, and earning rewards while gaining valuable digital experience.

Cryptocurrency is fast becoming a critical pillar of the future economy with the significant rise in the use of Bitcoin ETFs, stablecoins for cross-border payments, and the emergence of layer-2 networks like Arbitrum and Base in recent months. This development is opening up career and income opportunities in Web3 product management, NFT project strategy, Blockchain development, Crypto marketing, and Decentralised Finance analytics.

The participants expressed confidence in the future their new knowledge could bring. According to Iyanuoluwa, “this crypto training has expanded my understanding of digital currencies and blockchain. It has given me the confidence to explore new opportunities in this ever-evolving space”.

Another participant, Kareem expressed delight at being empowered by the learnings to identify and maximise the potentials of tokens. “I’ve learned effective strategies for identifying upcoming airdrops and staying actively engaged in the ecosystem. Overall, this training has been incredibly productive and enriching, exceeding my expectations”, he said.

For Godwin, “the training has opened my eyes to potential ways of making money by watching top traders’ wallets, how to verify an Airdrop, and how to avoid potential scams”.

Fejiro added: “We believe that with the right knowledge, skills, and tools, we are positioning young Nigerians and Africans to take advantage of emerging trends and lead in the digital revolution.

“That’s why, in addition to this training, we are about to give full scholarships to 100 young Nigerians for the AltSchool Diploma course to equip them with the learnings and skill required to excel in Tech and emerging fields”..

The next session of the Web3 training initiative begins on April 28 2025. Interested participants can join the programme by visiting any of Fejiro’s socials and applying for the programme, and take the initiative to win in digital finance.