EFCC Storms Wukari, Arrests 37 in Major Cybercrime Crackdown.
By Raymond Enoch
In a decisive strike against the rising tide of cybercrime in Nigeria, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Makurdi Zonal Directorate, have arrested 37 suspected internet fraudsters in Wukari, Taraba State.
The early morning raid, carried out on Wednesday, August 27, 2027, targeted an area behind the Federal University, Wukari, following weeks of covert surveillance and actionable intelligence reports on the suspects’ alleged involvement in cyber-related offenses.
According to a statement released by the EFCC, the suspects—most of them young men—were apprehended in a coordinated operation that involved a tactical sweep of several residential clusters near the university community, a known hotspot for cybercrime activity in recent months.
The Commission revealed that the arrests were the result of “credible intelligence” linking the suspects to a growing syndicate operating elaborate online scams, including phishing schemes, identity theft, romance scams, and cryptocurrency fraud.
“These arrests mark another significant victory in our ongoing efforts to sanitize the digital space and protect unsuspecting Nigerians and foreign nationals from cyber predators,” an EFCC official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
During the operation, EFCC operatives recovered a trove of suspected crime tools, including two vehicles, 12 laptops, and a staggering 46 mobile phones—believed to have been used to perpetrate various online scams.
Digital forensic experts have already begun the process of analyzing the recovered devices, which are expected to yield further insights into the extent of the criminal operations, as well as potential links to other networks within and outside Nigeria.
The EFCC confirmed that the 37 suspects are currently in custody and undergoing thorough interrogation. Preliminary findings, the agency says, are promising and may lead to additional arrests.
“The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” the EFCC said in its statement, reiterating its commitment to lawful prosecution and due process.
The arrests have sent shockwaves through the Wukari community, particularly among students and staff of the Federal University. A senior academic, who spoke anonymously, said the growing infiltration of cybercrime near the campus was “a ticking time bomb.”
“We’ve been worried for months about strange activities happening off-campus. This intervention was overdue,” the lecturer said.
Parents and community leaders have also expressed support for the EFCC’s actions, urging the agency to extend its operations to other hotspots in the state where young people are being lured into internet fraud.
This latest sweep adds to a series of nationwide arrests by the EFCC targeting the ever-evolving menace of cybercrime. With Nigeria’s digital economy expanding, law enforcement agencies are under pressure to intensify efforts to stem the abuse of online platforms by criminal elements.
The EFCC has urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities in their communities, assuring that the Commission will continue to deploy technology and intelligence to bring cybercriminals to justice.
As Nigeria continues its battle against financial crimes in both physical and digital spaces, Wednesday’s operation in Wukari stands as a stark reminder that no place is beyond the reach of the law.
