Authorities in India have taken two Nigerian nationals into custody for their alleged role in an international cybercrime network accused of hacking cooperative banks.
The suspects, Modebe Joseph, 42, and Sunday Okonkwo, 35, were arrested in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, following a coordinated operation by the cybercrime division of the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissionerate.
Officials say the duo are linked to a cybercriminal group known as Solar Spider, reportedly responsible for targeting banks with weak digital security systems.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Shavya Goyal disclosed that the suspects are believed to be part of a wider transnational network with ties to criminal gangs in Nigeria and South Africa. She said the group allegedly transferred about ₹7 crore (roughly ₦1 billion) from a bank account during the weekend of March 7–8, taking advantage of the closure to avoid immediate detection.
“The transaction was executed over the weekend, likely to buy time for moving the funds before the breach was noticed,” Goyal explained.
The arrests were made through a joint operation involving the Cyber Crime Police Station and other security agencies. Investigations into the network are ongoing.
