Police Arrest 20-Year-Old Man While Attempting to Board Flight Over ₦1bn Romance Scam
- 20-year-old Essien Emmanuel Akpama arrested for executing fraudulent schemes worth over one billion naira
- Akpama deceived victims in the US using celebrity scam tactics and cryptocurrency schemes
- The Police Public Relations Officer, Airport Police Command, Lagos, ASP Mohammed Adeola, shared more details about Akpama's fraud operations
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Ikeja, Lagos State - Police operatives have arrested 20-year-old Essien Emmanuel Akpama in Lagos State, over a N1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) romance scam, which, on conversion, amounts to over one million United States dollars.
Operatives of the Anti-Fraud Unit of the Airport Police Command arrested Akpama on 5th January, 2026, while attempting to board a flight out of Lagos State.
Source: Twitter
The Police Public Relations Officer, Airport Police Command, Lagos, ASP Mohammed Adeola, said Akpama’s arrest followed months of intensive intelligence-led surveillance and monitoring based on credible information.
Adeola made this known in a statement issued via the command X handle @airportcommand on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
The police said Akpama relocated to Lagos State on 23rd February, 2024, from Calabar, Cross River State.
Preliminary investigations showed that Akpama coordinated and executed several fraudulent schemes from his base in Lagos.
“In one instance in 2024, the suspect, through a celebrity scam modus operandi, deceived a 47-year-old female victim in the United States into transferring one million US dollars under the pretext of purchasing property in Florida for an orphanage. The funds were fraudulently solicited through a cryptocurrency scheme identified as “BullRun 2.0,” formerly known as “4 Way Mirror Money.”
“Further investigations revealed that the suspect also defrauded another 70-year-old female victim in the United States of a total sum of N25,709,400 (Twenty-Five Million, Seven Hundred and Nine Thousand, Four Hundred Naira), equivalent to $18,000 (Eighteen Thousand US Dollars). The fraud was perpetrated through the purchase of gift cards, high-end mobile devices, and computer equipment, which were shipped to Nigeria at the suspect’s direction."
Nigerians react as police arrest 20-year-old for romance scam
@Sireadell
At 20, you have scammed people up to 1b... Would be easy to catch him cos at 20, having 1b you didn't work for will def put u out on its own.
@Dannyounge
Omo, people get mind oo. How now? Criminality doesn't pay; stop now or get jailed.
@FaddaZEUS
20yrs old poses as 60yrs old. He is a real criminal.
@danaco0593
You mean a 20-year-old scammed his victims a total of 1 billion naira? Why didn't he stop and repent at some point?
US Court Jails Nigerian for $1.6m Romance Scam
Recall that US District Judge Charlotte Sweeney sentenced Nigerian national Adetomiwa Akindele to nearly six years in prison for a $1.6 million romance scam.
Akindele posed as a wealthy businessman, convincing an elderly American woman to transfer over $1.6 million through cryptocurrency accounts.
After serving his sentence, Akindele will be deported to Nigeria and must repay $1,692,945 in restitution.
FBI arrests Nigerian Politician over $3.3m romance scam
Legit.ng also reported that Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, 40, was arrested in Houston, United States, for a $3.3 million romance scam targeting victims on dating sites.
The FBI detained Nwadialo, who has been identified as the newly elected chairman of Ogbaru LGA in Anambra state, at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Posing as “Tony Giovanni,” he allegedly tricked victims with fake military and family crises, prompting them to send money.
Source: Legit.ng
