Police Arrest Three Suspects in Lagos for Romance Scam and Impersonation
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Zone 2 headquarters located in Onikan, Lagos, has successfully apprehended three individuals involved in a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate. The suspects, identified as 33-year-old Jacob Olatunde, 24-year-old Tega Emmanuel, and 36-year-old Gift Okubakpere, were arrested on charges including criminal conspiracy, cybercrime, forgery, impersonation, and cultism.
Intelligence Operation Leads to Arrests
The arrests stemmed from complaints received by the Zonal Intelligence Department (ZID) on January 7, 2026, regarding suspicious activities. An intelligence operation conducted in the Lekki-Ajah axis of Lagos State culminated in the arrests on Monday, March 30, 2026. Emmanuel was intercepted while driving a Porsche vehicle along Chevron Drive on the Lekki-Ajah expressway. Upon his arrest, he confessed to his involvement in cybercrime activities, prompting the execution of a search warrant at his residence.
This search led to the subsequent arrests of the two other suspects, Jacob Olatunde and Gift Okubakpere. During interrogation, all three suspects admitted to their roles in a coordinated cybercrime operation. Emmanuel coordinated cyber fraud, romance scams, and the generation of fraudulent accounts. Olatunde handled financial transactions and managed the collection of illicit funds, while Okubakpere was responsible for managing cryptocurrency-related scams carried out through platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, cryptocurrency exchanges, and online banking systems.
Recovery of Evidence and Items
The police operation resulted in the recovery of substantial evidence and items linked to the criminal activities. Seized items include three HP laptops, one Apple MacBook laptop, two MacBook tablets, and nine iPhones containing evidence of criminal activities. Additionally, devices used for fraudulent transactions, six international passports, Lagos State vehicle number plates (LSR 235 JM, FKJ 558 JK), three dealer number plates, military camouflage, one mini printer, and one toy gun (pistol) were recovered. The suspect claimed the toy gun was used for skit production.
Further recoveries include 98 pieces of suspected counterfeit $100 currency notes, illicit drugs suspected to be Indian hemp, and smoking paraphernalia. The spokesperson for the Command, Gbenga Afolayan, stated that investigations have been extended to relevant agencies to confirm the status of the suspected counterfeit currency and illicit drugs.
Commitment to Prosecution and Ongoing Efforts
The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Moshood Jimoh, assured the public that the suspects will be prosecuted upon the conclusion of investigations. He emphasized that efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate. Jimoh reaffirmed the commitment of Zone 2 to sustaining the fight against fraud-related offences within Lagos and Ogun State, highlighting the police's dedication to combating cybercrime and protecting citizens from such schemes.
