EXPOSED!!! How EFCC Busted Yahoo Academy In FCT And Arrested 31 Suspects [PHOTOS]
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have uncovered and dismantled a suspected internet fraud training camp—commonly referred to as a “Yahoo Academy”—in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, arresting 31 suspects in a coordinated sting operation.
The raid, carried out on Thursday, April 9, 2026, targeted a facility located in Becki Estate, Karu, on the outskirts of Abuja. According to the anti-graft agency, the suspects were apprehended while actively undergoing training in internet fraud schemes.
EFCC sources disclosed that those arrested include two alleged kingpins believed to be the masterminds behind the operation, alongside several recruits described as “interns.” Items recovered from the scene include multiple mobile phones, 18 laptop computers, and other electronic devices suspected to have been used in perpetrating cybercrime.
Preliminary investigations by the Commission revealed a disturbing recruitment pattern. Some of the young trainees were reportedly lured from Benue State under the guise of legitimate job opportunities. Upon arrival at the facility, however, they were allegedly initiated into a structured system of cyber fraud training, equipped with communication devices, computers, and specialized software.
Further findings indicate that the academy operated under strict and coercive conditions. Recruits were reportedly confined within the premises, with their movements heavily restricted. Their mobile phones were allegedly confiscated by the operators, effectively isolating them from family and the outside world.
Even more troubling are reports of enforced discipline through physical abuse. Investigators disclosed that corporal punishment was routinely administered to ensure compliance, with defiant trainees subjected to harsh treatment.
The EFCC stated that the suspects will be prosecuted upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations, as part of broader efforts to clamp down on organized cybercrime networks operating within the nation’s capital and beyond.
The latest operation underscores growing concerns over the evolution of cybercrime in Nigeria, with fraud syndicates increasingly adopting institutionalized training models to recruit and groom young individuals into illicit activities. Authorities say intensified surveillance and intelligence-driven interventions will continue in a bid to dismantle such networks and protect vulnerable youths from exploitation.
