The Nigeria Police Force's National Cybercrime Centre has arrested a man identified as Abdulwajeed Abdullahi, who is accused of defrauding victims of approximately N3.5 million and $1,500 through online romance scams and extortion. Abdullahi, who allegedly operated under the alias "Captain Junaid," was taken into custody at his home in Kano State on August 4, 2026, following a detailed investigation prompted by a complaint from a female victim.

The investigation began after the victim reported that she had been engaged in an online romantic relationship with the suspect. According to the Director of the National Cybercrime Centre, AIG Akaninyene Ezima, the suspect initially contacted the complainant via TikTok on June 18, 2026, before moving their conversations to WhatsApp. During this interaction, Abdullahi allegedly persuaded the woman to share intimate photographs and videos, which he later used to extort her.

On July 18, 2026, the suspect demanded $3,000 from the victim, threatening to release her intimate materials if she did not comply. Ezima revealed that further investigations uncovered additional victims who had also fallen prey to Abdullahi's scams. One victim reportedly lost N3.5 million to the same online persona, while another woman from Bauchi State was defrauded of $1,500 under the pretense of a foreign exchange trading scheme.

The police utilized Open-Source Intelligence and other investigative methods to identify Abdullahi as the individual behind the "Captain Junaid" identity. Upon his arrest, authorities conducted a forensic examination of devices found at his residence, which revealed intimate materials belonging to multiple women, as well as forged academic certificates and identity cards bearing different names but featuring Abdullahi's photograph.

During questioning, Abdullahi confessed to starting his romance scam activities in January 2026. He admitted to receiving significant sums from victims and acknowledged using the identity and images of a Saudi pilot named "Captain Abdullahi Rajhi" to create his fraudulent persona. The suspect also disclosed that some of the intimate materials he used in his scams were sourced from Telegram groups.

In a separate but related operation, the police arrested David Temitope in Lagos for his involvement in a sophisticated Business Email Compromise scheme. Temitope was apprehended on July 20, 2026, after an investigation that included collaboration with international law enforcement agencies. The police reported that Temitope had amassed over N100 million from his criminal activities, which involved phishing operations targeting companies across more than 50 countries.

The Nigeria Police Force continues to strengthen its efforts against cybercrime, urging the public to remain vigilant and verify the identities of individuals claiming to be police officers or government officials. AIG Ezima emphasized the importance of public awareness in combating fraud and protecting potential victims from cybercriminals.