Technology company, Meta revealed that it has removed more than 3.7 million accounts, pages and groups from Facebook and Instagram, in a joint operation targeting scam networks operating in West Africa.

In a web post on Tuesday, Meta said the operation involved 14 other technology companies and law enforcement agencies from 10 countries.

The operation, coordinated by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) in partnership with the US Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other agencies, also led to the identification of more than 30 suspected scam centres.

According to Meta, law enforcement confirmed the arrest of 28 individuals and the rescue of 117 people who had been trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds in Ghana.

The rescued victims were reportedly held against their will in a residential compound, where they suffered malnutrition and physical and psychological abuse.

Meta said most of the accounts, pages and groups it removed appeared to target people in the United States and United Kingdom through profiles impersonating American and British users.

Microsoft also suspended accounts suspected of being linked to the fraudulent activities.

Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange, identified more than 65 active scam victims and prevented potential losses exceeding $415,000, according to the statement.

The operation brought together technology companies, including Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Coinbase, Starlink and Adobe, alongside law enforcement agencies from Nigeria, Ghana, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and India.

Meta said the collaboration enabled participants to share intelligence across digital platforms, jurisdictions and financial systems to identify criminal networks and disrupt their operations.

The fraud schemes targeted by the operation included cryptocurrency investment scams, fake job offers, romance scams, impersonation of law enforcement officers and military personnel, and fraudulent online sales.

The operation also targeted so-called scam recovery schemes, in which fraudsters exploit previous victims by promising to recover stolen money in exchange for upfront payments.

Chris Sonderby, Meta’s vice-president and deputy general counsel, said the operation demonstrated the importance of cooperation between technology companies and law enforcement agencies.

He said the company would continue working with partners to pursue scammers and disrupt their operations wherever they operate.

Nick Sharp, NCA deputy director of fraud, said the collaboration helped authorities target criminals responsible for fraud affecting thousands of victims.

He added that the agency will continue working with international and private-sector partners to tackle fraud networks operating across borders.

The operation comes amid growing concerns over organised online fraud, with criminal networks using scam centres to recruit workers, train them in deception techniques and coordinate fraudulent campaigns against victims around the world.

“Tech companies play a pivotal role in disrupting scam operations. But meaningful progress ultimately depends on real consequences for the criminal organizations behind these schemes,” the statement said.

“This model of industry and law enforcement working side by side delivers those consequences, and Meta and our partners are committed to ensuring its ongoing strength and repeatability.”

Despite opposition from Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who insists that suicide attempt should remain punishable by imprisonment, the Senate has passed for second reading, a bill seeking to establish a national framework for suicide prevention, decriminalise attempted suicide and provide rehabilitation for survivors.

Sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South, the bill seeks to address what he described as a contradiction in Nigeria’s laws.

Ekpenyong argued that while the National Mental Health Act recognises attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency requiring treatment, Section 327 of the Criminal Code and Section 231 of the Penal Code still criminalise the act.

He said decriminalisation without accessible care would be incomplete, stressing that suicide has complex causes and requires a humane, health-focused response.

“At the heart of this bill is a simple question: when a Nigerian survives a suicide attempt, should the first response of the state be prosecution or protection?” he asked.

The senator said criminalisation discourages people from seeking help, forces families to conceal suicide attempts and contributes to poor data on the problem.

He warned that continued punishment could create a situation in which people experiencing distress feel compelled to ensure their attempts are fatal to avoid prosecution.

The bill proposes replacing imprisonment with mandatory assessment, referral, treatment and follow-up support. It also provides for crisis helplines, training for police officers, teachers and health workers, public education and a national data system for suicide prevention.

However, Akpabio maintained that attempted suicide should remain a criminal offence, arguing that removing the penalties could encourage the act.

“If you attempt suicide, make sure you die. Anyone who attempts and fails will go to jail,” the Senate President said.

Akpabio added that the issue involves both the Criminal Code and the Penal Code, requiring input from State Houses of Assembly during a public hearing to avoid legal conflicts.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Committees on Judiciary and Health for further legislative action and a public hearing.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has advised the federal government of Nigeria against the return of petrol subsidy.

The Fund recommended targeted support for vulnerable households to cushion the impact of rising energy costs.

They said blanket petrol subsidies are expensive, often benefit higher-income consumers disproportionately, and worsen fiscal pressures amid rising borrowing costs.

The Director of the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department, Rodrigo Valdes, stated this during a press briefing on the Fiscal Monitor at the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Bangkok.

His comments followed a question about how the Fund could recommend allowing energy prices to reflect scarcity when higher fuel prices in Nigeria could raise transport costs, worsen inflation, and deepen poverty, particularly as the government faces calls to restore the petrol subsidy ahead of an election year.

“Protecting people is not the same as protecting the price of fuels,” Valdés said.

He said fuel subsidies or measures that prevented prices from fully adjusting to an energy shock had cost countries between 1 per cent and 1.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2026.

He said the government should instead use social safety nets and household data to identify people who need assistance.

The Federal Government recently announced a 30-day petrol discount at Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited retail stations, with priority for public transport operators, to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices.