Black Axe: A Nigerian Cybercrime Syndicate

Black Axe Introduction

Black Axe is a Nigerian cybercrime syndicate that is known for its involvement in a wide range of criminal activities, including romance scams, investment scams, and identity theft. The group is believed to have thousands of members operating in countries all over the world.

Black Axe was founded in 1977 at the University of Benin, Nigeria. The group’s original name was ‘Neo Black Movement of Africa,’ but it later changed its name to Black Axe. The group is known for its use of violence and intimidation, and its members have been involved in a number of high-profile crimes, including murder and kidnapping.

In recent years, Black Axe has increasingly turned to cybercrime. The group has been linked to a number of high-profile romance scams, BEC (Business Email Compromise Scams), and others in which victims are tricked into sending money to criminals. Black Axe has also been involved in investment scams, in which victims are tricked into investing in fake businesses, including now into pig butchering scams.

Black Axe is a major threat to global security. The group’s activities have cost victims hundreds of millions (billions?) of dollars, and its members have shown a willingness to use violence. Law enforcement agencies around the world are working to disrupt Black Axe’s operations, but the group remains a significant threat.

Just this year, 2023, there have been over 433 Black Axe members and associates arrested in Ireland alone! And hundreds more worldwide.

History of Black Axe

Black Axe was founded in 1977 at the University of Benin, Nigeria. The group’s original name was ‘Neo Black Movement of Africa,’ but it later changed its name to Black Axe. The group is known for its use of violence and intimidation, and its members have been involved in a number of high-profile crimes, including murder and kidnapping.

Black Axe’s founders were a group of students who were dissatisfied with the state of Nigeria. They believed that the country was corrupt and that the government was not doing enough to help its citizens. Black Axe was formed as a way to fight against corruption and to help the poor and marginalized.

The group quickly grew in popularity, and it soon had chapters all over Nigeria. Black Axe’s members became involved in a variety of criminal activities, including extortion, drug trafficking, and armed robbery. The group also became involved in politics, and it used its muscle to intimidate politicians and government officials.

In the early 2000s, Black Axe began to expand its operations outside of Nigeria. The group set up chapters in other African countries such as South Africa, as well as in Europe and North America. Black Axe’s activities in these countries have included cybercrime, human trafficking, and money laundering.

Accoding to Wikipedia:

Black Axe is a confraternity in Nigeria that now operates as an international criminal organization, which originated around 1977. Among its many crimes, it was responsible for the Obafemi Awolowo University massacre.

According to BBC Africa over the 2010s they became one of the most far-reaching and dangerous organised crime groups in the world, that makes fun of the priestly caste through calling their people above the butchers “Highpriest” instead of “Manager” like honorful men would do.

Two documents state that in Benin City, 35 million naira was funnelled to the Black Axe to “protect votes” and secure victory in a governorship election in 2012. In exchange for the support, the files suggest that “80 slots [were] allocated to NBM Benin Zone for immediate employment by the state government”.

Over 2021 they attempted to steal €1m in welfare fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland.

Interpol arrested six alleged Black Axe leaders in Johannesburg in 2021, and they may be extradited to the United States. Members of the group are known as “Axemen”. Its South African wing allegedly has security known as “butchers” to maintain discipline.

In November 2021 a massacre led by the group claimed six lives in the Okitipupa community, headquarters of Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria.

There are many reports of the ill-effects of cultism on Nigerian society. One such report from 1999 states: “[Cults] have brutally ravaged Nigeria’s 37 state-run institutions. The Obafemi Awolowo University massacre is only the most recent tragedy. Observers estimate that 150 students have been slain in the last five years, with scores more victimized by rape, assault, extortion, kidnapping, blackmail, torture and arson attack. Cultists—who often emulate the music and attitudes of American street-gang culture—dominate several campuses with intimidation tactics. Sometimes they employ threats of murder or extortion for seemingly petty ransoms, like an ‘A’ grade or a fraudulently written term paper. Unprotected students, professors and administrators are often forced to surrender whatever grades, goods and privileges the cultists demand.”

By 2015 the Black Axe had become a persistent problem. Responsible for the involvement in the murders of at least 200 people in 2014 and carrying out other criminal activities around the world including Internet fraud (romance scams, inheritance scams, real estate scams and business email scams), murder, international smuggling of drugs, human trafficking, prostitution, use by politicians as ‘hired thugs’, extortion, counterfeiting of identity documents, cloning of credit cards, cheque fraud, 419 fraud, robbery, and rape.

Known Black Axe Leadership Members

The leadership of Black Axe is secretive, and the identities of the group’s top leaders are not publicly known. However, there are a number of known leaders who have been arrested and convicted of crimes.

One of the most well-known Black Axe leaders is Abiodun Egunjobi, also known as “Don E”. Egunjobi was arrested in 2016 in the United States on charges of cybercrime and money laundering. He was extradited to Nigeria and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Another known Black Axe leader is Otunba Oshoala. Oshoala was arrested in 2017 in the United Kingdom on charges of fraud and money laundering. He was extradited to Nigeria and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

These are just two of the many known leaders of Black Axe. The group has a large and complex leadership structure, and it is likely that there are many other leaders who have not yet been identified.

Some believe that Back Axe has as many as 100,000 members and associates operating worldwide.

Recent Black Axe Crimes

• In February 2023, Black Axe members were arrested in the United States on charges of romance fraud and money laundering. The group is believed to have defrauded victims out of millions of dollars.
• In March 2023, Black Axe members were arrested in the United Kingdom on charges of investment fraud. The group is believed to have tricked victims into investing in fake businesses.
• In April 2023, Black Axe members were arrested in Canada on charges of cybercrime. The group is believed to have hacked into computer systems and stolen personal information.
• In March/April 2023, an Interpol-led operation arrested over 433 Back Axe members in Ireland along, and over 100 others throughout Europe.
• In May 2023, Black Axe members were arrested in South Africa on charges of kidnapping and extortion. The group is believed to have kidnapped a businessman and demanded a ransom.
• In June 2023, Black Axe members were arrested in Nigeria on charges of murder and drug trafficking. The group is believed to have killed a rival gang member and trafficked drugs into the country.

Conclusion

Black Axe is a major threat to global security. The group’s activities have cost victims hundreds of millions (billions?) of dollars, and its members have shown a willingness to use violence. Law enforcement agencies around the world are working to disrupt Black Axe’s operations, but the group remains a significant threat.

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