By Clara Dabo
In a decisive move against cybercriminals, troops of Headquarters 63 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 1 Joint Task Force (South-South), Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), have arrested 183 suspected internet fraudsters in a well-coordinated raid on an alleged cybercrime training centre in Warri, Delta State.
In a statement issued by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 63 Brigade Asaba, Captain Iliya Bawa Rijau, the operation was conducted on July 19, 2025, following credible intelligence on the illegal activities being carried out within the area.
Captain Rijau stated that the suspects, all males between the ages of 16 and 29, were rounded up from multiple apartments suspected to be serving as grooming hubs for online fraud.Items recovered from the scene include assorted laptops, mobile phones, laptop chargers, a table phone, and WiFi devices.
The Nigerian Army confirmed that all suspects and recovered items are undergoing preliminary investigation, with further actions to follow.In a separate but related operation on the same day, troops apprehended a suspected cultist, Mr. Igbe Lucky Chika, aged 26, in Ezionun Community.
According to him. preliminary findings revealed that he is a member of the Viking cult group and items recovered from the suspect were a locally made firearm, an axe, a cutlass, two mobile phones, and a Toyota Camry bearing registration number Delta ASB 41 BE. He is being processed for handover to the appropriate security agencies for further investigation and prosecution.
Commander, 63 Brigade and Sector 1 Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, Brigadier General Moronfolu Abdulmoshood Shonibare, commended the troops for their professionalism, vigilance, and swift response.
He urged the general public to remain security-conscious and continue supporting the efforts of the military in safeguarding lives and property across the region.
The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to purging society of cybercrime, cultism, and other criminal threats disrupting peace and stability in the Niger Delta.
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