The Lagos Airport Police Command arrested a 20-year-old suspected fraudster on Monday as he attempted to board a flight, concluding months of surveillance into transnational schemes that allegedly defrauded U.S. victims of over N1 billion. Police spokesperson ASP Mohammed Adeola stated the arrest was “based on credible information linking the suspect to several transnational fraud schemes,” with one 2024 case involving a $1 million cryptocurrency transfer from a 47-year-old woman for a fictitious Florida orphanage.
Preliminary investigation reveals the suspect, who posed as a 60-year-old UN surgeon, also defrauded a 70-year-old woman of $18,000 via gift cards and high-end electronics shipped to Nigeria. Adeola confirmed that “the suspect and his case file have been transferred to the Nigeria Police Force Special Fraud Unit (NPF-SFU) for further investigation” ahead of arraignment, as the command reaffirms its commitment to blocking criminal escape routes through aviation hubs.