Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Badagry Command, have arrested 21 foreign nationals in connection with an alleged cross-border fraudulent recruitment and network marketing syndicate.
The suspects — 16 males and five females from Togo, Benin Republic, and the Central African Republic — were arrested following a raid in the Torikoh area of Badagry, Lagos State.
According to a statement by the NSCDC, the operation was prompted by a complaint lodged on May 6, 2026, by a Central African Republic citizen, Mr. Atokari Allah Iderim.
The complainant alleged that he was deceived into travelling to Nigeria under the pretext of securing employment and travelling onward to Cameroon. Instead, upon arrival, he and others were reportedly pressured to register for a business scheme identified as QNET.
He further alleged that his mobile phone was seized and sold, his foreign SIM cards destroyed, and he was given only N10,000 for feeding. He claimed he was warned not to leave the premises until he could raise money to register for the scheme.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the group operated a network marketing structure requiring recruits to pay about 650,000 CFA francs (approximately ₦770,000) as registration fees before participation.
Investigators also discovered that the syndicate allegedly lured victims from other African countries with promises of better economic opportunities, only to restrict their movement and coerce them into paying for memberships.
The NSCDC said the group operated through multiple camps or branches in Aradagun, Mowo, Badagry Town, and the Limca area of Badagry.
Some of those arrested identified themselves as leaders and trainers within the organisation, the agency added.
The suspects have since been transferred to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation over alleged immigration violations, including the absence of valid travel documents.
The NSCDC said investigations are ongoing to uncover the full scope of the syndicate’s activities, identify other collaborators, and establish potential charges including irregular migration, fraudulent recruitment, extortion, and unlawful restriction of movement.