FBI Under Fire For Focusing Tweet On 6 Nigerians Declared Wanted And Not Mentioning Fugitives From Other Countries
Many Nigerians on social media have condemned the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for focusing its attention solely in its tweet about 6 Nigerians wanted for online scam and not mentioning fugitives from other countries who are also wanted.
The FBI early Saturday shared a tweet announcing that 6 Nigerian fugitives are one their most wanted list for business email compromise scams.
Help the #FBI find six Nigerian nationals wanted for their involvement in business email compromise (BEC) schemes resulting in over $6 million in losses. Read more about each defendant at https://t.co/Q1OToaIVsl, and submit tips at https://t.co/iL7sD5efWD. #FugitiveFriday pic.twitter.com/67TZPHLgHA
— FBI (@FBI) June 27, 2020
Read Also: FBI Declare Six Nigerians Wanted Over $6 Million Business Email Compromise Scams
However, on the full list published on the agency’s website shows that there are 20 Asians, 39 Arabs, 16 Russians and other nationalities on the same list.
See photos of other suspects from different countries;
This has triggered angry reactions from many Nigerians on Twitter who have now called out the FBI for racism and not mentioning other scammers and their nationality in the bid to promote a stereotype.
Aggrieved Nigerians also accused the agency of pushing a narrative that only Nigerians are fraudsters, whereas people from other nationalities are also involved.
See some reactions below;
I checked this list, there are 39 men of Arab origin, 16 Russians, 20 Chinese/Southeast Asian guys, and just 6 Nigerians.
But guess who FBI chose as the poster boys for this crime? The 6 Nigerians.
What “-ism” is this? https://t.co/VSDvG8ECDS
— Mayowa (@Mayoveli) June 27, 2020
A cyber crime is committed there are 79 Persons: 16 Russians, 20 Chinese, 6 Nigerians and 37 men of arabic descent.
Our dearest FBI choose to use 6 Nigerians for their headline,by the time we realize the hate it’ll be so far gone.
Y’all can do better FBI,you can do better💔💔 https://t.co/72CTkAdv2S
— BENUEGIANT🦍 (@one_dosh) June 27, 2020
There are lot of Nigerians doing legitimate businesses around the world and It’s painful because these few bad eggs keep overshadowing the efforts of others. That’s why the FBI used those 6 Nigerians as click bait, a deliberate attempt to ridicule the country. Smh.
— Omoniyi Israel (@__Omoissy) June 27, 2020
This is a deliberate attempt to make Nigeria look bad as many people won’t even read the Article
In the article there are 79 Persons: 16 Russians, 20 Chinese, 6 Nigerians and 37 men of arabic descent but the headline is showing only 6 Nigerians. Smh#BlackLivesMatter https://t.co/MaPlGdQHXE
— DANNY 👑 (@Danny_Walterr) June 27, 2020
This issue of 6 Nigerians FBI used as poster for their wanted list just another example of how we have been helping them dent our own country image… They know we will help them scream it loud more than them..
This will continue to happen until we’re tired and “fight” back. pic.twitter.com/s4QUtlXUGu
— 👨🏽 King One X 🇳🇬 🙌🏽 (@MrOneXMind) June 27, 2020
Many people condemning Nigeria in this comment section didn’t even click the link ,I just read it all and
there are 79 of them ;16 Russians, 20 Chinese ,6 Nigerians and 37 men of arabic descent.But they’re making Nigeria the subject of criticism coz of a few bad eggs— Dehkunle Of Africa💧 🐐 (@Dehkunle) June 27, 2020
I hope more Nigerians are beginning to realise that this is systemic and intentional. On this list Nigerians are just 6, with an overwhelming amount of Arabs, Russians and Chinese. But the 6 Nigerians are the poster boys. How do you discredit so many people because of just 6? https://t.co/EankZfDc43
— Amb Minister for Love and Light (@theprincelyx) June 27, 2020
Racism at its peak.
This list has:
39 men of Arab origin
16 Russians,
20 Chinese/Southeast Asian guys
6 Nigerians.But racist FBI has chosen the only 6 Nigerians as the poster boys for this crime.
Criminals are in every nation of the world but the moment you are black…..
— Tosin Olugbenga (@TosinOlugbenga) June 27, 2020
Why is Nigeria the subject of this tweet? You have over 70 people on the wanted list with just 6 Nigerians why is the concentration on the 6 Nigerians? This is a very bias tweet, @FBI. https://t.co/Lixa2J7T3b
— Olúyẹmí Fásípè 🇳🇬 (@YemieFASH) June 27, 2020
It is alleged that the FBI chose to paint Nigerians are fraudsters due to recent Dubai police operation that led to the arrest of socialite Ramoni Igbalode better known as Hushpuppi alongside other gang members over alleged fraud.
He became a topic of discussion on social media for two consecutive days after the police released a short film detailing how it tracked down Hushpuppi and his crew members.
According to the four-minute film released on June 25, the operation which led to the arrest of 12 fraudsters was for about four months, having defrauded almost 2million people of N168 billion, seizing more N50 billion in cash and 13 luxury cars worth N3.7 billion.
