The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested nine suspects in Nigeria and seized 53 electronic devices during an operation targeting international cybercrime networks accused of stealing billions of dollars from Americans.   The operation, code-named Operation Blackout, also led to the identification of $11 million in funds that could potentially be frozen across multiple countries. Kash Patel, FBI director, disclosed the development in a statement published on his official X account on Sunday. Patel said the operation targeted scam centres and international cybercriminal networks accused of exploiting victims and stealing their life savings. “Operation Blackout is taking the fight directly to the international cybercriminal networks stealing billions from Americans,” he said. He added that the networks operated across international borders, believing they were beyond the reach of law enforcement. Patel commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and their partners in London for their cooperation during the operation. The FBI director also vowed to prosecute criminals who target Americans from other countries. Previous Cases Involving Nigerians The latest operation comes amid a series of international investigations involving Nigerians accused of cybercrime and online fraud. In September, South African authorities handed over six Nigerians to FBI officials over allegations that they defrauded more than 100 women through romance scams. In August, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) extradited two Nigerians to the United States over allegations of online sexual exploitation and sextortion involving two teenage boys who later died by suicide. In August 2025, the FBI also arrested 22 Nigerians allegedly linked to financially motivated sextortion schemes associated with a rise in suicides among American teenagers. The latest arrests highlight continued cooperation between Nigerian and international law enforcement agencies in efforts to tackle cybercrime across borders.

At least 128 people have been arrested in Barcelona, Spain, after a youth protest descended into violence, leaving 15 police officers injured and several businesses looted.   Catalan police chief Silvia Cata disclosed the arrests on Sunday, adding that 73 of those detained were minors whose cases would be referred to the juvenile prosecutor’s office. The unrest began late Saturday afternoon around Plaça de Catalunya in central Barcelona, following a gathering attended by about 600 people, according to Spanish media reports. The protest was reportedly promoted on social media under the slogan “Instituts Indignats”, in an attempt to bring the French youth movement “Lycéens Indignés” to Barcelona. Protesters Loot Shops, Attack Police Footage shared on social media showed groups of young people setting objects on fire, attacking businesses and taking goods from shops. Protesters reportedly threw stones and other heavy objects at police officers, erected barricades, set rubbish bins alight and smashed shop windows. Police subsequently moved to disperse the demonstrators, triggering clashes across nearby streets. According to Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, about 14 shops were looted during the unrest. Motorbikes, bicycles and bus shelters were also damaged. The violence forced several businesses to close, while authorities restricted access to Plaça de Catalunya. Train services stopping at the station serving the square were also temporarily suspended. Cata said only two of the arrested individuals had previous criminal records, describing the incidents as “gratuitous violence”. She added that the gathering was “completely disorganised”, despite calls for participation spreading across social media. Police were examining the profiles of those detained, she said. Barcelona Authorities Condemn Violence Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni condemned the violence and said the city council would join legal proceedings to ensure those responsible were held accountable for the damage. “This will not be left as it is. We will go all the way,” he said. Collboni also warned that parents or legal guardians of minors involved in the unrest could face consequences. Salvador Illa, president of the government of Catalonia, condemned the violence while defending the police response. “Protesting is a democratic right,” Illa said, stressing that violence could not be justified under the right to demonstrate. Catalonia’s interior minister, Núria Parlon, also described the incidents as “gratuitous violence and vandalism”, arguing that those responsible were not defending a legitimate cause. Officials further distanced the unrest from a housing rights encampment that has occupied Plaça de Catalunya for several weeks. Protests Spread Across Europe The violence in Barcelona comes amid unrest in several European countries, including France, Italy and Albania. In France, 1,000 people were arrested on Saturday as protests over economic grievances returned to major cities. The Barcelona incident has prompted renewed condemnation from regional and city authorities, who have vowed to pursue accountability for the damage caused during the clashes.

Police in Delta State have arrested a 28-year-old school bus driver, Onome Ughagha, over the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of a 14-year-old female student in Sapele.   The suspect was reportedly arrested after allegedly demanding and collecting ₦503,000 in ransom from the victim’s father. The spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed the development in a statement on Sunday, according to a report by PUNCH. Edafe said the victim’s father reported the incident to the Sapele Area Command on Tuesday, alleging that the suspect abducted his daughter while she was preparing to leave for school. According to the police, the suspect subsequently contacted the father, demanded ₦503,000 and threatened to kill the teenager if the ransom was not paid. After the payment, the victim was reportedly abandoned along Oton Road in Sapele, where she was reunited with her family in a traumatised condition, with indications of sexual assault. The police said the victim was taken to a medical facility for examination and treatment, while operatives of the Sapele Area Command launched an investigation into the incident. As part of the investigation, the school principal and vice-principal were invited for questioning. The suspect reportedly abandoned the school bus and fled, prompting police to intensify efforts to track him down. Acting on credible intelligence, operatives subsequently traced Ughagha to his hideout in the Ajimele area of Sapele, where he was arrested on Friday. The police said the suspect reportedly confessed to his involvement in the crime during preliminary interrogation. The command added that arrangements were underway to transfer him to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Asaba for further investigation. Meanwhile, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Samuel Erale, condemned the incident and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting children from violence and exploitation. Eralе assured the public that investigations would be thorough and anyone found culpable would be brought to justice. The police commissioner also urged school authorities, parents and transport operators to strengthen vigilance and prioritise the safety of children entrusted to their care.

A mother and her child have died after two container trucks overturned at Mile 2, near Freeman Market, inward Apapa, in Lagos State.   The fatal incident involved two trucks carrying 20-foot containers, which overturned and trapped the victims beneath the vehicles and their cargo. The Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Adebayo Taofiq, disclosed the incident in a statement on Sunday. According to Taofiq, the victims sustained fatal injuries in the crash. LASTMA rescue and recovery personnel responded to the scene to evacuate the victims, remove the overturned trucks and manage traffic. The affected road was temporarily cordoned off, while motorists were diverted through an adjoining service lane to prevent traffic congestion and further accidents. The agency deployed a crane and a high-capacity tow vehicle to remove the trucks and their containers. Police officers also provided security during the recovery operation. The victims’ remains were subsequently taken to the Police Mortuary in Yaba for necessary procedures. LASTMA Calls for Investigation Reacting to the tragedy, LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the bereaved family and called for a thorough investigation to establish the cause of the crash. Bakare-Oki urged relevant security agencies to investigate whether mechanical defects, excessive loading, improper cargo distribution, driver negligence or other factors contributed to the accident. He also called on truck operators to comply with road safety regulations, conduct regular vehicle inspections and ensure that their cargoes are properly secured. The LASTMA boss stressed that preserving human life must remain a priority, urging motorists, particularly operators of heavy-duty articulated vehicles, to maintain roadworthy vehicles and adhere to prescribed safety standards. He added that responsible driving and proper vehicle maintenance were essential to preventing avoidable deaths on Lagos roads. Another Truck Crash Recorded in Ogun The latest incident comes days after a motorboy was killed in a separate truck crash along Mile 6, Ajebo Road, in the Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. The crash, which occurred at Agbedejobi village on Wednesday, also left three people, including the truck driver, injured. The cement-laden trailer reportedly suffered brake failure while descending a bridge. Its driver reportedly lost control while attempting to avoid a car ahead, causing the vehicle to plunge into a ditch before veering onto a railway track and spilling its contents into a nearby bush. The incident was reported by PUNCH Newspapers, which cited the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency spokesperson, Babatunde Akinbiyi. The two incidents have drawn attention to the risks associated with heavy-duty vehicles on Nigerian roads, with LASTMA urging operators to prioritise vehicle maintenance and compliance with safety regulations.