Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Security operatives of the Nigeria Police Force’s Airport Police Command in Lagos have apprehended a 20-year-old man, Essien Emmanuel Akpama, in connection with an international romance and celebrity fraud scheme that allegedly defrauded multiple victims in the United States of more than N1 billion (over $1 million). The arrest was part of a months-long, intelligence-led investigation into cross-border online scams.
According to a statement by ASP Mohammed Adeola, spokesperson for the Airport Police Command, Akpama was arrested on January 5, 2026, by officers of the Anti-Fraud Unit while he was attempting to board a flight out of Lagos. Police said the arrest followed sustained surveillance based on credible information linking him to extensive fraudulent activities targeting U.S. residents.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Akpama, who previously lived in Calabar, Cross River State, relocated to Lagos in February 2024 and allegedly used the city as a base to coordinate various deceptive schemes. In one highlighted case, a 47-year-old U.S. female victim was reportedly misled into transferring $1 million under the pretext of purchasing property in Florida purportedly for an orphanage. Authorities said this transaction was facilitated through a cryptocurrency-based scheme known as “BullRun 2.0”, formerly called “4 Way Mirror Money.”
Police also disclosed that Akpama had allegedly defrauded another U.S. victim, a 70-year-old woman, of approximately N25,709,400 (about $18,000). This fraud reportedly involved the manipulation and purchase of gift cards, high-end mobile phones, and computer equipment, which were shipped to Nigeria at his instruction.
Investigators further noted that the suspect is believed to have adopted false online identities, including posing as a 60-year-old orthopaedic surgeon purportedly working with the United Nations in Nigeria, to foster trust and legitimacy with his victims. Computer devices and luxury gadgets linked to the scheme — including a MacBook Pro, an iPhone 17 Pro Max and multiple Google Pixel devices — were reportedly recovered by police as part of the ongoing probe.
The Police Commissioner for the Airport Police Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, said the arrest underscores the unit’s commitment to tackling transnational crime and preventing airports from being exploited as exit routes by suspects in serious crimes. She reaffirmed that intelligence-driven operations remain central to disrupting and dismantling criminal networks that use advanced online deception tactics against foreign victims.
Akpama’s case file has been transferred to the Nigeria Police Force Special Fraud Unit (NPF-SFU) for further investigation, and authorities have indicated that he will be charged in court upon the conclusion of their inquiries. Law enforcement officials have also urged the public and international partners to remain vigilant against online romance and investment scams, many of which exploit cryptocurrency platforms and sophisticated impersonation strategies.
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