On November 4, 2024, the Nigeria Police Force reported the aprrest of 130 suspects linked to high-level cybercrimes, hacking, and activities threatening national security. The group included 113 foreign nationals—87 men and 26 women—mainly from China and Malaysia, as well as 17 Nigerian collaborators (four men and 13 women). SOLOMON ODENIYI visited the residence and discovered that the suspects had been living under police protection
The road leading to the house where 113 foreign nationals and 17 Nigerian collaborators were recently apprehended by the Nigeria Police Force for cybercrime offences is desolate, dusty, untarred, and strangely silent. The previous day, this reporter set out with determination to scour the area around the Next Cash and Carry, only to be met with blank stares and unhelpful directions from residents and commuters.
In a desperate attempt to locate the elusive location, the reporter met a commercial motorcyclist who, for a high fee, boasted of knowing the exact location. The long and winding journey led to a completely different house—occupied by a foreigner other than the ones being investigated by the police. Despite the obvious misdirection, the motorcyclist pocketed the agreed-upon fee with a smirk.
The police’s vague press release, which suggested the residence was somewhere in the sprawling area around Next Cash and Carry, muddled the search even more. Refusing to give up, this time with a more dependable motorcycle operator who was determined to explore every nook and cranny of Jahi 1 and 2.
After what seemed like an endless journey through the labyrinthine streets, a structure emerged, its walls adorned with bright red paint. The message was clear: ‘keep off. NPF-NCCC being investigated. Finally, the elusive house appeared before the reporter, its ominous warning confirming that the search was over.
The scene was stark, with a well-built three-story building standing out among a sea of unfinished structures and humble kiosks. The air was thick with the weight of unspoken stories and secrets.
Residents, traders, and laborers at nearby sites reported that the foreign nationals had only recently moved in.
They claimed they were taken aback when the police arrived to make the arrests, noting that police had always secured the residence.
According to a resident named Sanusi, the house was completed but remained empty until the foreigners moved in around August 2024.
He stated that he assumed the suspects were expatriates because they had police officers guarding their home, and the Nigerians he saw with them appeared to be their domestic staff.
“What surprised me about the arrest was that there were police officers guarding the house. I spotted at least two. I assumed they were expatriates or top construction workers, as road construction is underway in many parts of the Katampe extension, which is not far away.
“It is possible that those police officers revealed their secrets, but for them to be doing what they said they were doing and requesting police protection is a question I have been asking,” he added.
Sanusi stated that the foreigners never lived extravagant lives or engaged in behaviour that would raise suspicion of their involvement in cybercrime.
He explained, “The Chinese were not loud. They were laid-back, but they did not interact much with others, possibly due to the nature of the area. They drove inexpensive cars, and nothing in this area suggested that they were cybercriminals or engaged in any illegal activity. Furthermore, the presence of police officers there did not give me that impression.”
Our correspondent spoke with a guard at the house opposite the foreigners’ residence and a female hawker, both of whom confirmed that the Chinese and Malaysians were new to the area and were being guarded by Nigerian Police Force officers.
“The foreigners who were arrested are new to this area. We do not know anything about them, but we did see the police here last week. One of their vehicles was parked in front of our home. Then they began forcing them into a large vehicle they had brought.
“Even though the house is directly opposite us, I have never entered it since I have lived here. There is security available 24 hours a day. I usually see police and regular guards there, but neither the guards nor the police interact with us,” said the guard, who declined to give his name.
The hawker added in Pidgin English, echoing the resident’s statement, “You see this house—police dey, normal security dey. They have their own employees, and they do not buy anything from anyone around here.”
The guard also noted that the former police officers had been replaced following the arrests of the foreigners and their Nigerian accomplices.
“I noticed that after they arrived here, they changed the police officers who were securing the place,” the guard stated.
Another resident, Mustapha Bazkware, believed the residence was a safe house for Department of State Services personnel.
He claims that when the officials went out, they rode in SUVs with sirens.
“Honestly, I have been curious too. I live nearby, and I used to see the foreigners, along with a few government officials, in SUVs—usually two or three, with sirens turned on when they went out. I got the impression it was a safe house for espionage, possibly for DSS or NIA agents.
“I asked myself, if it was not a safe house, why would government officials be there? So, I traveled last Tuesday, and when I returned, I noticed this and began to wonder.
“I used to see foreigners whenever I went for a walk, and they would wave at me. Their apartment is in the back of the building. But what usually piqued my interest were the official vehicles that passed by. I also noticed them carrying large amounts of a specific alcoholic beverage (name withheld), among other things. Foreigners were quiet; it was the government officials who were loud.”
