12-year-old boy, 9 others arrested as police raid ‘Yahoo School’ in Lagos

The operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have uncovered and dismantled internet fraud training facility, commonly referred to as “Yahoo School”, operating in the Iju area of the state.

The command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

Hundeyin said police operatives apprehended four yahoo experts and six trainees during the raid.

Hundeyin stated: “During the successful operations, the police detectives apprehended four yahoo experts, of ages 22, 23, 25, and 26, who were running the notorious school.

“The other six suspects, who are between the ages of 12 and 26, are their criminal trainees, all of whom were undergoing training in cybercrime and fraud.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the principal suspects of the facility recruited their trainees from Anambra, engaged them to commit internet fraud and other related crimes.

“The proceeds from their fraudulent activities were being confiscated by the principal suspects.”

The police spokesman disclosed that all suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for further discreet investigation and prosecution.

Hundeyin said efforts were also ongoing to arrest other accomplices.

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Hundeyin added: “Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the sponsors who financed the trainees’ enrolment in the school, as well as the owner of the facility where these criminal and illegal activities took place.

“The owner of the facility is hereby warned, in his own interest to turn himself in immediately at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, from wherever he is hiding.”

Hundeyin noted that the command would ensure that all suspects were charged to court for prosecution, upon the conclusion of the investigation in the case.

He said the 12-year-old suspect among them, with healing marks of injuries on his body, was receiving medical care.

The police spokesperson stated: “In line with due process of the law, the underage suspect with injuries allegedly inflicted on him by the main principal suspect to compel him into the commission of the criminal acts, is being given medical attention.

“He is kept in protective custody till his relatives are identified and reunited with him.”

Hundeyin urged parents and guardians to monitor the activities of their children and wards, to prevent them from being exploited, lured, or compelled into falling into criminal activities.

Hundeyin also advised any member of the public, who had fallen victim to the fraudulent activities of the criminal syndicate, to go to the SCID in Yaba with their complaints.

He added that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, commended the officers for apprehending the suspects.

“The CP assures all Lagos residents that the command remains resolute and committed to combating all forms of crimes and criminalities, including cybercrime tagged ‘yahoo’, etc,” Hundeyin said.

He quoted the police commissioner as urging Lagos residents to report every suspicious activity or incident to the police in their localities for prompt action.

The Star