Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Lagos — A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of a Nigerian man, Lawrence Folawunmi, who is wanted in the United States of America over alleged fraud and related offences involving approximately $1.24 million, marking a significant step in ongoing international legal cooperation on cybercrime and financial fraud.
The remand order was granted on Tuesday, 24 December 2025 by Justice Akintayo Aluko following an application by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) under the Extradition Act (Cap. E25), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. The court’s ruling authorises the temporary detention of Folawunmi in a Nigerian correctional facility pending the hearing and determination of the extradition proceedings brought by the United States.
Folawunmi was arrested in Lagos by officers of the Interpol Unit, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon-Ikoyi, acting on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, after a formal extradition request was received from U.S. authorities.
Court documents show that Folawunmi is named in Criminal Case No. 3:21-00276, filed on 15 November 2021 by a grand jury sitting in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division. The indictment alleges that he engaged in email compromise, aiding and abetting wire fraud, and wire fraud related to a scheme in which a firm’s payment information was fraudulently altered on at least eight occasions, resulting in the unlawful transfer of about $1.24 million to accounts tied to the scheme.
In granting the remand application, Justice Aluko heard from counsel for the AGF that the order was necessary to ensure Folawunmi’s custody while the extradition application is processed. Folawunmi’s lawyer, W. Liadi, did not oppose the remand but requested a short adjournment to allow time to prepare formal responses to the extradition suit.
The court ordered that Folawunmi be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service and adjourned the matter to 21 January 2026 for the hearing of the extradition proceedings.
In an affidavit supporting the AGF’s application, an official from the International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department, Office of the AGF, confirmed that the U.S. request included all necessary documentation and assurances. The affidavit stated that under U.S. law Folawunmi would only be tried for the offences for which his extradition was sought, and that the request was not politically motivated nor aimed at persecuting him on grounds of race, religion, nationality or political opinion. Furthermore, the affidavit affirmed there were no similar criminal proceedings pending against Folawunmi in Nigeria in relation to the alleged offences.
The case illustrates growing cooperation between Nigerian and U.S. authorities in tackling transnational fraud and cybercrime. It also highlights the challenges faced by Nigeria’s judicial and law enforcement systems in responding to international extradition requests while upholding due process and legal protections for suspects. Civil liberties advocates stress that, as the process unfolds, the rights of the accused must be protected in accordance with Nigerian law and international legal standards.
With the matter now set for further proceedings in January, the next phase will determine whether Folawunmi will be formally surrendered to U.S. jurisdiction to face trial on the wire fraud and related charges that could carry significant prison sentences if he is ultimately convicted.
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