On November 4, 2024, the Nigeria Police Force reported the arrest of 130 suspects linked to high-level cybercrimes, hacking, and activities threatening national security. The group included 113 foreign nationals?87 men and 26 women?mainly from China and Malaysia, as well as 17 Nigerian collaborators (four men and 13 women). SOLOMON ODENIYI visited the residence and discovered that the suspects had been living under police protection.

The road leading to the house where 113 foreign nationals and their 17 Nigerian collaborators were recently arrested by the Nigeria Police Force for cybercrime offences is a desolate, dusty path, untarred and eerily quiet. The previous day, this reporter had ventured out with determination, scouring the vicinity of the Next Cash and Carry area, only to be met with blank stares and unhelpful directions from residents and commuters.

In a desperate bid to uncover the elusive location, the reporter encountered a commercial motorcyclist who, for an exorbitant fare, boasted of knowing the exact spot. The journey, long and winding, led to a different house entirely?occupied by a foreigner, not the ones under police investigation. Despite the blatant misdirection, the motorcyclist pocketed the agreed fee with a smirk.

The search was further muddled by the police?s vague press release, suggesting the residence was somewhere in the sprawling area around Next Cash and Carry. Refusing to be deterred, Sunday PUNCH set out again at dawn, this time enlisting a more reliable motorcycle operator determined to explore every nook and cranny of Jahi I and II.

After what felt like an endless expedition through the labyrinthine streets, a structure came into view, its walls adorned with bold red paint. The message was unmistakable: ?Keep off. NPF-NCCC under investigation.? At last, the elusive house stood before the reporter, its ominous warning confirming the search was over.

The scene was stark; a well-built three-storey building stood out amidst a sea of uncompleted structures and humble kiosks. The air was thick with the weight of unsaid stories and concealed secrets.

Foreigners protected by police

Residents, traders, and labourers at these nearby sites mentioned that the foreign nationals had only recently moved in.

They said they were taken aback when the police arrived to make the arrests, adding that policemen had always secured the residence.

A resident, who simply gave his name as Sanusi, said although the house had been completed, it remained empty until the foreigners moved in around August 2024.

He noted that he assumed the suspects were expatriates because they had police officers guarding their house, and the Nigerians he saw with them appeared to be their domestic staff.

?What was surprising with the arrest was that there were police officers guarding the house. I saw at least two. I thought they were expatriates or top construction guys, as road construction is ongoing in many parts of the Katampe extension, which is not far from there.

?It could be that it was those policemen who revealed their secrets, but for them to be doing what they said they did and requesting for police to secure them is a question I have been seeking answers for,? he added.

Sanusi said the foreigners never lived extravagant lives and engaged in behaviour that would raise suspicion of their involvement in cybercrimes.

He said, ?The Chinese were not loud. They were easy-going, although they didn?t interact much with people, maybe because of the nature of the area. They used not-so-expensive cars, and there was nothing that made me, or anyone else in this area, suspect they were cybercriminals or involved in anything illegal. Also, the presence of police officers there didn?t give me that impression.?

A guard working at the house opposite the foreigners? residence and a female hawker, who were both engaged in conversation by our correspondent, confirmed that the Chinese and Malaysians were new to the area and were being guarded by officers of the Nigeria Police Force.

?The foreigners who were arrested are new to this area. We don?t know anything about them, but we saw the police here last week. One of their vehicles was parked in front of our house. Then they started making them get into a large vehicle they brought.

?Since I have been living in this area, I have never entered the house, even though it?s directly opposite us. There is security there 24 hours a day. I usually see police and regular guards there, but neither the guards nor the police interact with us,? said the guard, who did not give his name.

Corroborating what the resident said, the hawker added in Pidgin English, ?You see this house?police dey, normal security dey. They have their workers, and they don?t buy anything from anyone around here.?

The guard added that he observed the former police officers had been changed after the arrest of the foreigners and their Nigerian accomplices.

?I noticed that after they came here, they changed the police officers securing the place,? the guard stated.

Another resident, Mustapha Bazkware, said he thought the residence was a safe house probably meant for personnel of the Department of State Services.

According to him, the officials rode in SUVs with sirens when going out.

?Honestly, I have been curious too. I live nearby, and I used to see the foreigners along with a few government officials in SUVs?usually two or three, with their sirens on when going out. I got the impression it was a safe house for espionage, perhaps for DSS or NIA personnel.

?I thought to myself that if it wasn?t a safe house, why would government officials be there? So, I travelled last Tuesday, and when I came back, I saw this and started wondering.

?I used to see the foreigners whenever I took a walk, and they would wave to me. Their apartment is at the back of the building. But what usually caught my attention were the official vehicles that frequently passed by. I also saw them carrying large quantities of a particular alcoholic drink (name withheld), among other things. The foreigners weren?t loud?the ones who were loud were the government officials.?

Three suspects released

One resident and a trader in the area informed our correspondent that about three Nigerians among those previously arrested returned to the house on Thursday morning.

A trader In the area said, ?I know the Chinese stay here. But I don?t know what they do. They released some of the Nigerians arrested with them today (Thursday). I saw about three of them. If you had come much earlier you would have seen them too. They are inside the house as we speak.?

?They packed everyone in the house but today, we saw three Nigerians who were arrested with them walking into the house,? another resident added.

Also, Sanusi told our correspondent some Nigerians arrested with the foreigners were released.

To gather more information, our correspondent waited for hours, hoping that one of the released Nigerians would step outside for a brief conversation.

In an attempt to initiate contact, Sunday PUNCH suggested to one of the traders to help approach the house under the pretext that one of its occupants owed him money.

However, this attempt failed, as the stern-looking mobile police officers guarding the property turned him back.

In another effort, our correspondent approached the officers, claiming to be a concerned resident, surprised to see the house under investigation, hoping it would prompt a comment from the security personnel.

Unmoved, one of the officers said, ?Oga, go and mind your business.?

Efforts to reach the Force Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, for comments on residents? allegations that the arrested foreign nationals previously received police protection, as well as to confirm reports that three Nigerians arrested alongside the foreigners had been released and returned home, were unsuccessful.

Adejobi initially promised to look into the matter and provide feedback but had not done so. (Sunday PUNCH)

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