EFCC designates Lekki as a hotbed of cybercrime in Nigeria

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared Lagos’ Lekki neighborhood a hotbed of cybercrime.

The EFCC revealed that 402 suspects were arrested in the area in three months in a post titled “Lekki now hotbed of cybercrime – EFCC” posted on its Facebook page on Friday.

The EFCC has identified the Lekki neighborhoods of Ajah, Badore, Victoria Garden City, Sangotedo, and Oniru as hotspots for internet fraudsters in the state.

Many of the suspected fraudsters arrested in the area were between the ages of 25 and 34, according to the anti-graft agency.

“Lekki, Lagos Metropolis’ fast-developing upper-middle-class area, is emerging as the new hub of internet-related fraud in Nigeria,” it wrote.

According to data from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) Lagos Command’s investigation activities for the second quarter of 2021, the Lekki District is the preferred location for all types of cyber fraud syndicates.

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“The Advance Fee Fraud and Cyber Crime Sections of the Command made a total of 402 internet-related fraud arrests between April and June 2021. The Advance Fee Fraud Section was responsible for 243 arrests, while the Cyber Crime Section conducted 18 sting operations that resulted in 159 arrests and 13 convictions so far.

“The Cyber Crime Section arrested 159 suspects, 70 of whom are from Lekki, including communities such as Ajah, Badore, Victoria Garden City, Sangotedo, and Oniru.

“There were 24 suspects in Ajah, and 14 and 13 in Oniru and Sangotedo, respectively. Badore had a total of eight suspects. Ikoyi and Eko Atlantic, respectively, had two and one suspect. On the Lagos Mainland, Ikorodu and Alagbado make up the rest.

“The suspects are mostly millennials, with 82 of them being between the ages of 25 and 34, indicating that the majority of those arrested are still in school, recent graduates, or university dropouts.”