At least 33 suspected internet fraudsters, commonly referred to as Yahoo Yahoo boys, have been apprehended by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The suspects were arrested at their hideouts during a well-coordinated sting operation conducted in the state’s capital. According to a statement released on Wednesday by the EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the operatives recovered a variety of incriminating items, including counterfeit United States dollars, forged Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) stamps, and fake Customs stamps, among other items.
Oyewale stated, “Operatives from the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the EFCC have successfully arrested 33 suspected internet fraudsters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. These individuals were apprehended at their hideouts in the Iwofe and Ogboro areas of Port Harcourt, during a sting operation based on credible intelligence regarding their involvement in internet fraud.”
The items seized from the suspects include multiple mobile phones, laptops, boxes of fake U.S. currency, counterfeit FBI stamps, forged Customs, airport clearance, DHL, and FedEx stamps, as well as two cars.
Oyewale further noted that the suspects will be formally charged in court upon the conclusion of the ongoing investigation.
In a related development, Oyewale revealed that earlier, operatives from the EFCC’s Gombe Zonal Directorate arrested 21 additional suspected internet fraudsters in Yola, Adamawa State. These suspects were detained on Tuesday, September 4, 2024, from various locations around Modobo Adamawa University, Yola.
“Items recovered from these arrests include 13 iPhones, 12 Android phones, a laptop, and a tablet,” Oyewale added.
