Indian police arrested 2 Nigerians for allegedly stealing N1 billion from a cooperative bank

Police in India have arrested two Nigerian nationals for allegedly being members of an international cybercrime syndicate linked to a cooperative bank hack.

The two men, Modebe Joseph and Sunday Okonkwo, were arrested by the cyber crimes unit of the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissionerate in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, for their alleged association with a cyber group known as “Solar Spider.”

According to the Times of India, Joseph, 42, and Okonkwo, 35, worked for a gang that targeted financial institutions with weak cybersecurity systems.

READ ALSO: Revenue declines, as FAAC distributes N1.89tn to FG, states and LGUs for February

The arrests were made in a joint operation between the Cyber ​​Crime Police Office and other security agencies.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Shavya Goyal, said the suspects were part of a wider international cyber network with links to criminal groups operating in Nigeria and South Africa.

“During the weekend of March 7-8, the suspects managed to siphon off about ₹7 crore (roughly N1 billion) from the bank. Investigators believe the transaction was deliberately carried out on a weekend when the bank was closed, thereby reducing the chances of immediate detection,” Goyal said.