Inside Police Digital War After 40 Months Of Cybercrime Crackdown

When the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) recovered over N8.82bn in cybercrime proceeds and arrested 751 suspects in 2024, the vision of the then Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, was likely beginning to yield significant results.

According to Baba, the unit required restructuring to boost its effectiveness and efficiency, ensuring a firm stance against cyber-related offences in the country.

Appointed as the Centre’s Director in November 2022, Uche Ifeanyi Henry, then a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), confronted a nation’s cyberspace riddled with cryptocurrency fraud, online romance scams, sextortion, cyberstalking, and other related crimes.

Within the first months of leading the Centre, Uche quickly recorded notable operational successes in strengthening Nigeria’s fight against cybercrime.

He oversaw the expansion of digital forensic capacity, intelligence-led investigations, and coordinated enforcement operations targeting technology-enabled financial crimes.

These included large-scale intrusions into the banking system and unlawful access to computer networks, where criminals gained unauthorised access to banking platforms, transferring large sums into cryptocurrency wallets to hide financial trails.

The early achievements under his leadership led to the recovery of billions of naira in illicit gains, the disruption of organised cybercriminal networks, and the arrest of hundreds of individuals involved in online fraud, identity theft, cryptocurrency-enabled money laundering schemes, and other cyber offences.

In recognition of these successes and the quick impact of the Centre’s activities, Uche was meritocratically promoted to the rank of Commissioner of Police within six months, reflecting the confidence placed in his leadership during the early stages of the NPF-NCCC.

Strategic international collaboration

Under his guidance, the Centre also played an active role in several multinational law enforcement operations coordinated by INTERPOL targeting transnational cybercrime networks.

These included Operations Serengeti, Eagle’s Nest, Djembe, Red Card 1.0 and 1.2, Delaila, Falcon 1.0 and 2.0, Dark SIM, and Seraphim, involving coordinated intelligence sharing, joint investigations, digital forensic support, and the disruption of cybercriminal infrastructure across various jurisdictions.

A major pillar of the Centre’s progress has been strategic international cooperation.

The NPF-NCCC strengthened operational ties with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), culminating in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the UK and Nigeria.

This partnership aimed to enhance joint cybercrime investigations, intelligence exchange, capacity development, and coordinated enforcement efforts, alongside nationwide cyber awareness initiatives.

One such initiative is the campaign “Real Odogwu No Dey Hide Him Face,” which aims to discourage the misuse of online anonymity for criminal acts and promote responsible digital behaviour among Nigerian youths.

Beyond bilateral partnerships, Uche also expanded the Nigeria Police Force’s international operational reach by strengthening investigative and intelligence cooperation with law enforcement and cybercrime units in several countries.

This collaboration across China, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, France, the USA, Poland, Portugal, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, and others was also aimed at boosting operational cooperation with several African nations.

These engagements included sharing intelligence, joint operations, capacity building, and coordinated responses to cross-border cyber-enabled financial crimes.

Recognising his growing role in continental cybercrime coordination, he was appointed in 2023 as Chair of the African Cybercrime Heads of Units Desk under INTERPOL, reflecting his leadership in fostering cooperation among African cybercrime units and bolstering the continent’s unified response to transnational cyber threats.

Alongside enforcement and international collaboration, Uche is currently leading nationwide cyber awareness campaigns to promote online safety among Nigerians, especially vulnerable groups like market women, small traders, and students at risk of online fraud and exploitation.

One notable project is the “Secure Her Digitally” campaign, co-run with the Nigerian Communications Commission, which empowers women and girls with the knowledge and tools to navigate the digital world safely.

Notable operational achievements

The Centre actively participates in the global Cybersecurity Awareness Month, aligning local initiatives with international efforts under the theme “Secure Our World.”

Through this campaign, the NPF-NCCC works with government agencies, NGOs, youth groups, trade unions, and civil society to promote cyber safety, digital responsibility, and resilience.

Between 2023 and 2025, the Centre monitored crypto wallets used to launder stolen proceeds using forensic analysis and blockchain tracing, as evidenced in cases such as the Patricia Technologies hack, which recovered over N607m.

Additional recoveries included over $1.7m and N55m from an estimated $4m cross-national fraud scheme linked to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), involving an estimated

The Centre also dismantled suspected syndicates involved in an $86,000 phishing scheme targeting Binance, and an estimated N234m forex scam involving hacked offshore accounts, among others.

The discovery of a Chinese hideout in Jabi, Abuja, believed to be used for cyber fraud, online scams, money laundering, and data intrusion, stands out among many achievements by the NPF-NCCC, earning praise from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in its 2025 report on cybercrime in Nigeria.

While Nigeria’s cyberspace, under Uche’s leadership as an Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), remains a work in progress, the Centre continues to intensify efforts to promote digital security.

AIG Uche, a specialist in criminal intelligence and forensic investigation, is a certified Ethical Hacker and Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator from Leru Umuchieze in Abia State.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication from Enugu State University and a Master’s in Security and Strategic Studies from Nasarawa State University.

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