The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 21 suspected cybercrime fraudsters and recovered five exotic cars in a sting operation at Applewood Estate on Orchid Road, Lekki, Lagos.

Operatives from the Lagos Directorate 1 carried out the raid by 5am on Monday, October 26, 2026. The commission disclosed details in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.

The EFCC said the suspects were targeting unsuspecting victims by impersonating other people. They allegedly obtained money through gift cards, cryptocurrencies and international money transfers. The commission credited the arrests to diligent surveillance and reconnaissance of the suspects’ activities before the operation.

Preliminary investigations indicted 19 of the 21 arrested, while the remaining two were released. The commission said the 19 indicted suspects would be arraigned in court immediately. The allegations against them have yet to be tested in court.

The statement also addressed a young woman who allegedly tried to alert the suspects by making phone calls during the raid. The EFCC said she was held and her phone confiscated until the operation ended, after which the device was returned to her.

The commission defended the conduct of its officers amid concerns about how the raid was handled. It insisted that its operatives acted professionally, with no harassment, intimidation or unlawful arrest.

The raid is the latest in a series of sting operations by the agency against suspected internet fraudsters in Lagos, including one at a short-let apartment complex in Lekki Phase 1 in August.