Interpol Swoops on Multinational Nigerian Cyber Gang, Black Axe
Operation Jackal III, a coordinated effort by police forces worldwide against the Nigerian-borne cyber gang, Black Axe, led to raids across 21 countries between April and July 2024.
The operation resulted in 300 arrests, delivering what Interpol described as a 'major blow' to the multinational syndicate.
It also saw more than 700 bank accounts frozen and the seizure of $3 million in illegal assets.
In an interview with the BBC, Tomonobu Kaya, a senior official at said agency’s International Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, explained that the criminal group was “very organized and very structured.”
“Black Axe and similar groups are responsible for the majority of the world’s cyber-enabled financial fraud as well as many other serious crimes.”
What makes them even more formidable, according to Kaya, is that they are “early adopters of new technologies.”
“A lot of fintech developments make it really easy to illegally move money around the world,” he explained.
This crackdown, per the opinion of experts, is merely a hindrance to the criminal organization as they feel that it should be addressed at its source—in Nigeria.
“The emphasis must actually be on prevention not on outright operations against these criminal groups,” Dr Oluwole Ojewale from the West African Institute for Security Studies told the BBC.
In a society where 87 million people are living below the breadline, Dr Ojewale feels that the problem starts with the region's political leaders.
“It is the politicians who are actually arming these boys. The general failure of governance in the country has made pressures for people to be initiated [into Black Axe].”
Editor's Note: In a world that is heavily reliant on technology, few of us can say we haven't been scammed.
What are your thoughts?
***First published on LinkedIn***