20-year-old nabbed in Lagos for alleged ₦1bn cross-border romance fraud

The Airport Police Command in Lagos has arrested a 20-year-old man, Essien Emmanuel Akpama, for allegedly defrauding victims in the United States of more than ₦1 billion through a series of romance and celebrity scams.

Police spokesperson ASP Mohammed Adeola said in a statement on Tuesday that Akpama was arrested after months of intelligence-led surveillance.

He was picked up on January 5, 2026, by officers of the Anti-Fraud Unit while attempting to board a flight out of Lagos.

Investigators say Akpama moved from Calabar to Lagos in February 2024, where he allegedly coordinated several fraudulent schemes.

One case involved a 47-year-old American woman who reportedly transferred $1 million after being told the money would be used to buy property in Florida for an orphanage.

The funds were allegedly funneled through a cryptocurrency platform known as “BullRun 2.0,” formerly “4 Way Mirror Money.”

Police also linked Akpama to another scheme involving a 70-year-old woman in the U.S., who was said to have lost about ₦25.7 million through the purchase of gift cards, luxury phones, and computer gadgets shipped to Nigeria under his instructions.

Recovered items include a MacBook Pro, an iPhone 17 Pro Max, and several Google Pixel devices valued at more than ₦8 million.

According to police, the suspect often posed as a 60-year-old UN orthopaedic surgeon to convince victims that the gadgets were needed for secure communication.

Commissioner of Police, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, said the arrest reflects the Command’s commitment to intelligence-driven policing within Nigeria’s aviation sector.

The case has been transferred to the Special Fraud Unit for further investigation, after which the suspect is expected to be charged to court.