Yahoo Boy: Police Arrest 24-Year-Old over N48.5m Romance Scam
- Airport police operatives arrested a 24-year-old suspect at Lagos airport over an alleged N48.5 million romance fraud scheme
- Investigations linked the suspect to an online fraud syndicate that used fake identities and fabricated banking platforms to deceive victims
- Police ordered an expanded probe and directed that the suspect be transferred to Interpol for further investigation and prosecution
Airport police operatives in Lagos have arrested a 24-year-old man over his alleged role in a romance fraud scheme said to involve N48.5 million.
The arrest was carried out by officers of the Airport Police Command as part of efforts to curb criminal activity linked to the aviation corridor.
Source: Facebook
According to a report by The Nation, the suspect, Precious Onudhona, a native of Delta state, was apprehended on February 2, 2026, while attempting to board a flight to Asaba.
Police said his arrest followed intelligence received by the Anti-Fraud Unit, which tracked his movements to the airport.
Onudhona's arrest followed actionable intelligence trail
Preliminary findings indicated that Onudhona allegedly became involved in a fraud syndicate in 2023. The group was said to have specialised in romance scams carried out through social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
Investigators believe victims were targeted through carefully constructed online profiles designed to gain trust before financial requests were made.
According to the Airport Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mohamed Adola, the syndicate relied on false identities and fabricated stories to deceive unsuspecting individuals.
Source: Facebook
He said:
“The suspect posed as “Travis Kevin,” a white American medical doctor, and fraudulently created a fake banking domain displaying fictitious account balances.”
Police said the digital setup was used to convince victims of the suspect’s credibility and financial standing. This, investigators noted, made it easier to persuade victims to part with large sums of money over time.
Fake medical story used by Onudhona for fraud
Adola added that the suspect allegedly used the fake platform to make repeated financial requests from victims, saying:
“He reportedly used this platform to solicit funds from victims under the pretense of repaying them within a short period. The funds were claimed to be needed for feeding and medical supplies after he allegedly sustained injuries in the line of duty which he received through cryptocurrency.”
The Commissioner of Police in charge of the Airport Police Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, ordered a detailed investigation into the case following the arrest.
She described the aviation environment as a sensitive space that must not be exploited for criminal purposes.
The commissioner directed officers to intensify efforts to identify and arrest other members of the alleged syndicate. Police said the suspect would be transferred to the Interpol Section for further investigation and prosecution as inquiries continue into the full scope of the fraud.
Yahoo Boys: American woman shares experience
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that an American woman recounted how two 'Yahoo Boys' duped her of significant sums in romance scams, despite her ongoing admiration for Nigerian men.
In a viral video, she detailed her encounters, revealing how the scammers manipulated her emotions and finances.
She displayed the young Nigerian's picture and the one he used for his unsuspecting victims.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
