Police Arrest Officers Shielding Foreign Hackers

|By Adejumo Adekunle –

Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun confirmed that police officers who protected recently arrested foreign hackers acted unlawfully. On November 4, Nigerian police arrested 130 cybercrime suspects, including 113 foreign nationals primarily from China and Malaysia, along with 17 Nigerian accomplices. A report from The PUNCH later revealed that some of the foreigners had police escorts before their arrest.

Addressing the issue at a criminal investigation workshop on Monday, Egbetokun stated, “Yes, the officers were on an illegal duty, and they are now detained. They were not formally deployed.” Their commanders, who disowned them, will ensure they face disciplinary actions. Egbetokun clarified that while the police do provide protection for certain high-profile individuals, “those using unauthorized police escorts will face serious consequences.”

He also underscored the importance of responsible use of police escorts, saying, “If escorts are misused, we immediately withdraw them.”