The Nigeria Police Force, working with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Secret Service, has arrested three suspected internet fraudsters during coordinated operations in Lagos and Edo states.
The arrests were carried out by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC) following intelligence on cyber-attacks targeting the email systems of major corporate organisations, mostly in Nigeria.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed in a statement on Thursday that the suspects carried out the attacks “through the deployment of phishing links and malicious software.”
According to the police, the arrests followed credible intelligence from Microsoft Corporation and the FBI, which revealed the use of a phishing toolkit known as “RaccoonO365.”
Hundeyin said the tool was designed to create fake Microsoft login pages used to steal user credentials and illegally access corporate, financial and educational email platforms.
He said, “Consequently, the NPF–NCCC initiated a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation in collaboration with Microsoft, the FBI, and the United States Secret Service.”
Investigations showed that between January and September 2025, several Microsoft 365 accounts were compromised through phishing emails designed to closely resemble legitimate Microsoft authentication pages.
“These activities resulted in business email compromise, data breaches, and financial losses across multiple jurisdictions,” he said.
Police said operatives were deployed to Lagos and Edo states based on actionable intelligence, leading to the arrest of three suspects.
Searches conducted at the suspects’ residences led to the recovery of laptops, mobile phones and other digital devices linked to the alleged fraud after forensic analysis.
Further investigations identified Okitipi Samuel, also known as “RaccoonO365” and “Moses Felix,” as the principal suspect behind the phishing infrastructure.
The police, however, said investigations revealed no evidence linking the two other suspects to the creation or operation of the phishing scheme.
The Nigeria Police Force reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the country’s digital space through improved technology, international cooperation and sustained investigations into cybercrime.
