India Arrests Two Nigerians Over WhatsApp Impersonation Scam

Indian police have arrested two Nigerian nationals in connection with an alleged cyber fraud scheme involving impersonation of company executives to swindle employees.

The suspects were picked up by operatives of the cybercrime unit in Gurgaon, following an investigation into fraudulent WhatsApp messages sent to staff of Indian firms, police authorities said.

According to investigators, the duo posed as directors of companies and contacted employees with urgent instructions to transfer funds, creating a false sense of authority and pressure. The victims reportedly complied, transferring money into bank accounts linked to the suspects and their associates.

The arrested individuals were identified as Ojo Uyiosa and another Nigerian known simply as James. Police said Uyiosa entered India in 2014 on a student visa, while James reportedly arrived in 2023 on a tourist visa.

Investigations revealed that the fraud ring operated with the support of other accomplices who helped secure bank accounts used to receive the illicit funds. Authorities disclosed that about 1 million rupees, equivalent to over ₦15 million, was paid into a Bandhan Bank account connected to the operation.

The bank account had previously been flagged in at least two cybercrime complaints, prompting closer scrutiny by investigators. Further interrogation allegedly linked the suspects to multiple fraud cases using a similar impersonation method.

Following their arrest, the suspects were arraigned before a court on Sunday and remanded in police custody for three days to allow further investigation. Police said two mobile phones and three SIM cards were recovered, while efforts are ongoing to trace additional assets and identify other members of the syndicate.

The arrests come amid growing concern over the involvement of Nigerians in cyber-related offences abroad, with recent cases reported in countries including Ghana and South Africa, drawing attention from both host nations and Nigerian authorities.