The Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos, has announced two major operational breakthroughs in its sustained efforts to combat cyber-enabled crime, piracy, arms trafficking and the smuggling of contraband into the country.
Addressing journalists in Lagos, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the FCID Annex, AIG Margaret Agebe Ochalla, said the operations reflect the department’s renewed commitment to safeguarding national security and protecting Nigeria’s economic assets.
The FCID said operatives have uncovered and dismantled a sophisticated online piracy syndicate responsible for unlawfully uploading Nollywood movies and extorting unsuspecting viewers. The breakthrough followed a petition by FilmOne Entertainment Limited after its movie Owambe Thieves was illegally uploaded on TikTok on August 23, 2025, with the suspect demanding ₦1,000 for access to the full pirated version.
According to investigators, the suspect was arrested after coordinated intelligence efforts and confessed to obtaining the movie from an illegal website, uploading edited scenes on TikTok and distributing the complete film via WhatsApp. He admitted selling the pirated copy to more than 50 people and pirating other Nollywood titles, including Farmers Bride, Thinline and Alakada Bad and Bourjee.
A forensic analysis of an iPhone 15 Pro and an iPhone SE seized from the suspect revealed evidence of movie distribution networks on WhatsApp and Telegram. Financial checks also showed that his OPay account recorded inflows of ₦7,616,403.80 between August 20 and October 29, 2025, indicating steady proceeds from piracy and related cyber-enabled fraud. The suspect has since been arraigned in court.
In a separate operation, the FCID intercepted a consignment containing 300 rounds of 9mm live ammunition concealed in a Nissan Frontier pickup, along with contraband goods. The arrest followed credible intelligence received by the AIG, leading to the apprehension of the driver, Nelson Peretei. A search conducted in the presence of the clearing agent and suspected receivers yielded two Toyota Sienna vans, a Nissan Frontier pickup, a SCION XA vehicle, 24 bags of foreign rice, seven bales of used clothing, cartons of vegetable oil and assorted household items.
Five suspects were arrested in connection with the shipment. Investigations linked the consignment to a U.S.-based Nigerian, Mrs. Maria Adeyemi, who allegedly failed to declare the ammunition and contraband in the bill of lading. The FCID also said a self-acclaimed retired U.S. Marine Colonel, Sunny Nwadiri, attempted to claim ownership of the ammunition through an intermediary without providing verifiable personal information.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the illegal items were carefully concealed among legitimate goods to evade port security systems. The FCID said it is collaborating with the Nigeria Customs Service and the Department of State Services to trace the source and destination of the shipment and determine possible links to broader criminal networks.
AIG Ochalla reaffirmed the department’s commitment to disrupting cybercrime networks, combating arms trafficking, protecting intellectual property and enhancing national security. She urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to aid security operations.
