The Delta State Police Command has confirmed that several suspected operators of an Internet fraud training academy, known as Hustlers Kingdom (HK), are currently facing trial. This development follows the arrest of 123 individuals in the Warri area during a military-led raid by the 3rd Battalion of the Nigerian Army recovered Charms and gadgets.
The Delta Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, disclosed this during an exclusive telephone conversation with PUNCH Metro on Monday. According to Edafe, the academy had been engaged in training young individuals, predominantly teenagers, in cybercrime activities under the guise of teaching cryptocurrency trading and forex.
In September, soldiers from the Nigerian Army raided the estate where the fraudulent activities were taking place. The raid, which led to the arrest of 123 suspects, was triggered by a distress call from one of the victims, who had managed to contact his family through a laptop provided by the academy. Upon receiving the distress signal, the family reached out to the military, which led to the subsequent raid.
The arrested suspects, some as young as 17, had been promised lucrative lessons in forex and cryptocurrency trading, but upon arrival, they found themselves trapped in a cybercrime network. Edafe elaborated, stating that the suspects were coerced into fraudulent activities and often subjected to physical abuse, including beatings and being denied food.
One of the victims, Gbolahan Olaide, shared his harrowing experience after being held captive for nine months. Lured to Warri by a friend with the promise of financial assistance for a trip to Egypt, Olaide found himself trapped in the academy, where he was forced to participate in cybercrime operations targeting social media users.
“I was beaten whenever I asked to return home,” Olaide recounted, describing the brutality he endured. He explained how the operators trained him and others to hack Facebook accounts, using phone numbers as passwords, to deceive foreign victims into sending them money.
Edafe confirmed that the suspects had been charged to court and that investigations into the academy's operations were ongoing. This case highlights the growing menace of cybercrime in Nigeria, especially among vulnerable young individuals lured by the promise of quick financial success.
Authorities have pledged to ensure that those responsible for these criminal activities face justice, while also warning parents and guardians to remain vigilant against such schemes that prey on young people.
As investigations continue, the Delta State Police Command and other law enforcement agencies remain committed to clamping down on cybercriminals across the region. Further updates on the trial of the arrested suspects are expected in the coming weeks.
