$60,000 romance scam: Nigeria, Australian police nab ‘fraudster’

The arrest followed intelligence collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force – National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) and the South Australian Police Department (SAPOL).

Force Public Relations Officer (PRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi alleged in a statement that the $60,000 was recovered from Emefeke.

Emefeke, a 37-year-old resident of the Guida area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was accused of pulling off an elaborate fraudulent scheme.

Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), alleged that the suspect wrote a statement during a Police interview admitting the fraud and several others dating back to 2021.

It was alleged that the suspect and his cronies usually adopted pseudo-identities of renowned international celebrities, carefully selected via social media platforms and lured them into a fake romance.

Adejobi said: “Investigation further revealed that the victims are usually vulnerable men and women in a desperate search for emotional comfort and fame”.

He said the Inspector-General of Police, (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba, applauded the new wave of anti-cybercrime achievements recorded by NPF-NCCC under the Director National Cybercrime Centre, DCP Ifeanyi Henry Uche.

Adejobi added: “All complaints or information bordering on cybercrime can be sent to the NPF NCCC through its e-reporting portal – https://incb.npf.gov.ng/ or @NPF_NCCC across all social media platforms, and via mobile on 09168343711”.