Nationwide raid code named ‘Cyberstorm 1’ by Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) has netted 136 suspected fraudsters in renewed fight against cyber crime.
The Internet’s popularity as a communication tool among Nigerians is growing but it is also feared as an instrument by cyber criminals, unarmed yet lethal.
Night browsing grew in popularity in the beginning of the 2000s because of the notoriously unreliable electricity supply, the discounted nature service, and the convenience it offers cyber criminals.
The trend became worrisome prompting deliberate measures to stem the tide.
Cyberstorm by EFCC is therefore a targeted search for economic and financial criminals who had given the country severe negative consequences, including decreased foreign direct investments.
Femi Babafemi, head of media, EFCC, confirmed the development adding that 11 arrests were made in the Northern zone, 39 in the South-East, 60 in the South-West and 26 in the South-South zone.
The search for the suspected fraudsters has also impacted adversely on cyber cafes operators who have been forced to shut down "night browsing".
It would be recalled that the EFCC had sometime banned all-night browsing in cyber cafes across Nigeria but later relaxed the ban requiring assurance that the cafes would not be used by cyber criminals.
