The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested three suspected cybercriminals linked to sophisticated phishing attacks targeting Microsoft 365 email systems used by major corporate, financial, and educational institutions.
The arrests were carried out by operatives of the National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC) following intelligence received from Microsoft Corporation in the United States, transmitted through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The intelligence revealed the deployment of an advanced phishing toolkit known as RaccoonO365, designed to create fake Microsoft login pages to steal user credentials and gain unauthorised access to corporate email accounts.
Acting on the information, the NPF–NCCC launched a coordinated, intelligence-led operation in collaboration with Microsoft, the FBI, and the United States Secret Service. Investigations traced multiple incidents of unauthorised Microsoft 365 account access recorded between January and September 2025 to phishing emails crafted to closely resemble legitimate Microsoft authentication portals.
Police said the cyberattacks led to business email compromise, data breaches, and significant financial losses across several jurisdictions.
Based on actionable intelligence, operatives were deployed to Lagos and Edo states, where three suspects were apprehended. Searches conducted at their residences led to the recovery of laptops, mobile phones, and other digital devices. Forensic analysis of the items linked them to the cyber fraud operation.
Further investigations identified one of the suspects, Okitipi Samuel, also known by the aliases “RaccoonO365” and “Moses Felix,” as the principal suspect and alleged developer of the phishing infrastructure. According to investigators, he operated a Telegram channel through which phishing links were sold in exchange for cryptocurrency and hosted fraudulent Microsoft login portals on Cloudflare using stolen or fraudulently obtained email credentials.
However, police said there was no evidence linking the two other arrested individuals to the creation or operation of the phishing toolkit.
The Nigeria Police Force reiterated its commitment to protecting the country’s digital environment through the use of advanced technology, strong international partnerships, and thorough investigative and prosecutorial processes to combat emerging cyber threats.
The statement was signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, and issued from Force Headquarters, Abuja, on December 18, 2025.