In a significant blow to one of West Africa’s most feared criminal networks, Interpol has coordinated a massive international operation against the notorious Black Axe organization. Operation Jackal III, conducted between April and July 2024, involved law enforcement agencies from 21 countries and resulted in the arrest of 300 individuals linked to Black Axe and affiliated groups.
Interpol officials hailed the operation as a “major blow” to the Nigerian crime network, while cautioning that the group’s international reach and technological sophistication continue to pose a global threat. The operation led to the seizure of $3 million in illegal assets and the freezing of over 700 bank accounts.
Tomonobu Kaya, a senior official at Interpol’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, told the BBC, “They are very organised and very structured.” He emphasized that recent innovations in money-transfer software and cryptocurrency have been exploited by the group, known for orchestrating multi-million dollar online scams.
The BBC reports that Black Axe, which originated as a university cult in Nigeria, has evolved into a global criminal enterprise involved in human trafficking, prostitution, and cyber-crime. The organization is particularly notorious for its sophisticated financial fraud operations, which have caused billions of dollars in losses worldwide.
The operation builds on previous “Jackal” missions conducted since 2022, which have enabled Interpol to build a comprehensive intelligence database shared across its 196 member countries. However, experts like Dr. Oluwole Ojewale from the Institute for Security Studies argue that more needs to be done to address the root causes of these criminal syndicates in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria.
Despite the success of Operation Jackal III, challenges remain in combating Black Axe and similar groups. Corruption and alleged collusion between criminal organizations and local authorities continue to pose significant obstacles to law enforcement efforts.
As criminals increasingly turn to sophisticated technologies for their operations, Interpol has responded with its own technological innovations. The recently launched Global Rapid Intervention of Payments system (I-GRIP) allows authorities to quickly freeze suspicious bank accounts worldwide, making it harder for criminals to move money across borders with impunity.
While Operation Jackal III marks a significant victory against Black Axe, Interpol officials stress that continued international cooperation and intelligence sharing will be crucial in the ongoing fight against transnational organized crime.
