Yahoo – A 25-year-old man identified as Emeka Osemel has been arrested for allegedly stealing a mobile phone in Boji-Boji Owa, Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State.
The suspect, a resident of Alihame Community, was apprehended by members of the Owa Youth Vigilante, a security outfit under the Owa Youth Council.
In an interview with Ika Weekly Newspaper, Osemel confessed that he had been involved in internet fraud, commonly known as “Yahoo Yahoo,” for an extended period and had earned substantial income from defrauding victims online.
He stated that he lived comfortably from the proceeds of the illegal activity until recent months.
Osemel explained that for the past six months, the Yahoo business had stopped yielding money, as he decided to start stealing people’s properties just to survive.
The suspect, originally from Aliagwai Community but residing in Alihame, pleaded for forgiveness.
Osemel said he wanted people to please forgive him and assured that it would not happen again.
As of the time of reporting, officers from the Owa-Oyibu Police Division had arrived at the Owa Youth Vigilante headquarters to take custody of the suspect for further interrogation.
Background on Similar Cases Involving Former Yahoo Boys Turning to Other Crimes in Nigeria
Several documented cases in Nigeria show individuals previously involved in internet fraud (“Yahoo Yahoo”) later resorting to conventional theft, robbery, or other crimes when online proceeds decline.
In October 2024, a 28-year-old ex-Yahoo boy in Benin City, Edo State, was arrested for snatching a phone and bag from a woman in the GRA area.
He told police that after his Yahoo accounts were blocked and scam victims stopped responding, he turned to street robbery to survive (Vanguard Newspaper, October 2024).
In March 2025, two former fraudsters aged 24 and 26 were apprehended in Asaba, Delta State, for armed robbery of a POS agent.
During interrogation, they admitted they had been successful in Yahoo until banks and telecom companies tightened controls on suspicious accounts, forcing them into physical crime (Premium Times, March 2025).
In July 2025, a 30-year-old man in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was arrested for stealing laptops from a cybercafé.
He confessed to police that he previously made money through romance and investment scams but had to resort to burglary after his SIM cards and bank accounts were flagged and frozen (The Nation Newspaper, July 2025).
In December 2025, a 27-year-old ex-Yahoo boy in Owerri, Imo State, was caught stealing a motorcycle.
He told interrogators that after multiple EFCC arrests of his syndicate members and loss of foreign contacts, he turned to bike theft to fund his lifestyle (Daily Trust, December 2025).
In January 2026, a 23-year-old in Ibadan, Oyo State, was arrested for pickpocketing at a market.
He stated during police questioning that he had earned heavily from dating scams until victims and banks became more cautious, leaving him no choice but to steal to eat (Punch Newspapers, January 2026).
These cases illustrate a recurring pattern where former internet fraudsters shift to street-level crimes when online opportunities diminish due to stricter regulations, arrests, account freezes, and victim awareness
