Airport Police Nab 20-Year-Old Alleged Romance Fraud Kingpin Over N1bn Scam Targeting US Nationals
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Airport Police Command, has arrested a 20-year-old suspected international romance and celebrity fraudster accused of orchestrating scams valued at over N1 billion, primarily targeting victims in the United States, in a major breakthrough against transnational cybercrime.
The suspect, Essien Emmanuel Akpama, was arrested on 5 January 2026 by operatives of the Anti-Fraud Unit of the Airport Police Command while allegedly attempting to flee the country through a Lagos airport.
The arrest was confirmed in a statement issued on 6 January 2026 by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Adeola.
According to the police, Akpama’s arrest followed months of painstaking, intelligence-led surveillance prompted by credible information linking him to several high-value online fraud cases involving foreign nationals.
Investigators said the suspect had been closely monitored after efforts were intensified to prevent Nigerian airports from being used as escape routes by individuals involved in serious financial crimes.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Akpama, who formerly resided in Calabar, Cross River State, relocated to Lagos on 23 February 2024. From there, he allegedly coordinated and executed multiple sophisticated romance and celebrity impersonation scams, using carefully curated online identities to deceive and manipulate unsuspecting victims abroad.
Police sources disclosed that the suspect specialised in emotionally driven romance scams, often presenting himself as a respected international professional to gain the trust of his targets.
In one prominent case recorded in 2024, Akpama allegedly defrauded a 47-year-old woman in the United States of one million US dollars. The funds were reportedly solicited under the pretext of purchasing property in Florida, purportedly to be converted into an orphanage.
Investigators said the transaction was channelled through a cryptocurrency investment platform known as “BullRun 2.0,” formerly called “4 Way Mirror Money,” which they described as a fraudulent digital scheme used to obscure and facilitate illicit financial transfers.
Further enquiries linked the suspect to another case involving a 70-year-old female victim in the United States, who was allegedly defrauded of N25,709,400, equivalent to approximately 18,000 US dollars.
In this instance, the suspect reportedly persuaded the victim to purchase gift cards, expensive mobile phones and computer equipment, which were subsequently shipped to Nigeria at his instruction.
The Airport Police Command confirmed that several items were recovered during the investigation, including a 14-inch MacBook Pro, an iPhone 17 Pro Max, two Google Pixel 10 Pro XL devices and one Google Pixel 10 Pro. The combined value of the recovered items was estimated at N8,141,367.
Investigators explained that the suspect allegedly convinced his victims that the devices were essential for secure communication, reinforcing his assumed professional status and further entrenching their trust. Police added that Akpama often exploited humanitarian narratives and professional jargon to sustain long-term communication with his victims.
According to the police, Akpama posed online as a 60-year-old orthopaedic surgeon working with the United Nations in Nigeria. This false persona was reportedly instrumental in lending credibility to his requests for large sums of money and high-end electronic devices.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Airport Police Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, MNIPS, PhD, reiterated the Command’s unwavering commitment to protecting Nigeria’s aviation environment from criminal abuse.
She stated that the Airport Police Command would not allow individuals involved in cyber-enabled fraud and other serious crimes to exploit airport corridors as avenues for evading justice.
CP Ogunbode emphasised that the Command would continue to rely on intelligence-driven operations, sustained surveillance and inter-agency collaboration to detect and dismantle criminal networks operating within and around the aviation sector.
She noted that the arrest demonstrated the effectiveness of proactive policing and strategic partnerships in addressing emerging forms of transnational crime, particularly online fraud targeting vulnerable victims across international borders.
The case has been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Special Fraud Unit (NPF-SFU) for further investigation and prosecution. Police authorities confirmed that the suspect would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations, in accordance with due process.
The Nigeria Police Force has once again urged members of the public, both within Nigeria and abroad, to exercise caution in online interactions and remain alert to the tactics of romance and investment fraudsters.
The Force also reaffirmed its resolve to strengthen cooperation with international law enforcement agencies to track, arrest and prosecute perpetrators of cross-border financial crimes.
