FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed the development on Sunday, October 25, 2026, in an update on Operation Blackout, a crackdown targeting online scam networks and the infrastructure used to carry out fraud.

According to Patel, the operation in Nigeria resulted in nine arrests, the seizure of 53 electronic devices and the identification of approximately $11 million in funds across multiple countries that could potentially be frozen.

The figure refers to funds identified as potentially recoverable or subject to freezing, not money confirmed to have been recovered by authorities.

Patel said the operation was aimed at disrupting criminal networks that allegedly steal money from victims, including Americans, through online scams. He added that the networks often operate across national borders in the belief that they can avoid prosecution.

The FBI director commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and international partners in London for their cooperation, warning that authorities would continue pursuing suspected cybercriminals operating from abroad.

The arrests in Nigeria formed part of a wider enforcement effort across West Africa. Earlier reports on the operation said 28 people were arrested across Nigeria and Ghana, with more than 350 electronic devices seized. Authorities and partner organisations also reported identifying people believed to have been trafficked and exploited in scam operations.

The operation highlights the importance of international cooperation in tackling cybercrime, particularly where suspects, victims, digital evidence and financial transactions are spread across several countries. Investigations are continuing, and the arrests do not in themselves establish the guilt of those detained.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia