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The global policing agency Interpol has successfully executed a series of covert operations to dismantle Black Axe, according to a report by the BBC. Black Axe is a notorious Nigerian cybercrime network with a global reach.
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“These criminal syndicates are early adopters of new technologies… A lot of fintech developments make it really easy to illegally move money around the world,” said Tomonobu Kaya, a senior official at Interpol’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, in an interview with the BBC.
Operation Jackal III brought vast intelligence database across 21 countries
The report details that law enforcement agencies worldwide collaborated in Operation Jackal III, which involved officers in body armor conducting raids across 21 countries between April and July 2024.
As a result, Interpol has arrested approximately 300 individuals linked to Black Axe and other affiliated groups. Cybercrime, particularly targeting individuals and businesses, remains the largest revenue source for these organisations.
During these international raids, dozens of members of Black Axe and similar gangs were arrested, and their electronic devices were seized. This effort allowed Interpol to compile a vast intelligence database that is now being shared with officers across its 196 member countries.
“We need to have data and to collate our findings from these countries to help build a picture of their modus operandi,” Kaya emphasized to the BBC.
A “major blow” to Nigerian crime network
Interpol hailed the operation as a “major blow” to the Nigerian crime network, but cautioned that the group’s international reach and technological sophistication still pose a significant global threat.
One notable case cited by Canadian authorities involves a money-laundering scheme linked to Black Axe, valued at over $5 billion in 2017. “They are very organized and very structured,” Kaya added.
According to a 2022 Interpol report, “Black Axe and similar groups are responsible for the majority of the world’s cyber-enabled financial fraud as well as many other serious crimes.” Kaya noted that advancements in money-transfer software and cryptocurrency have further facilitated the operations of these groups, which are notorious for their multi-million dollar online scams.
Operation Jackal III, years in the making, led to the seizure of $3 million in illegal assets and the freezing of more than 700 bank accounts.
Criminal network founded in University of Benin
Many members of Black Axe are university-educated, often recruited during their time in school. The organization, also known as the Neo Black Movement of Africa (NBM), was founded in the 1970s at the University of Benin in Nigeria as part of a Pan-African movement.
Initially aiming to promote African culture and arts globally, the group has since become synonymous with criminal activities, including cybercrime, human trafficking, and violent crime, gaining notoriety over the past decade. Today, the N.B.M. spans continents, with a self-reported membership of around thirty thousand.
