Lagos Airport Police Arrest Suspected International Romance Fraudster Over Alleged ₦1 Billion U.S. Scam as Nigeria Police Uncover Celebrity Impersonation, Crypto Fraud and Gift Card Scheme
The Nigeria Police Force, Airport Police Command in Lagos, has arrested a 20-year-old suspect, Essien Emmanuel Akpama, over his alleged involvement in an international romance and celebrity fraud operation that reportedly defrauded victims in the United States of over ₦1 billion (more than $1 million). According to a police statement, Akpama was apprehended on January 5, 2026, by operatives of the Anti-Fraud Unit while attempting to board a flight out of Lagos following months of intelligence-led surveillance.
Police said the suspect previously lived in Calabar before relocating to Lagos in February 2024 and allegedly used a sophisticated online scam, including a cryptocurrency platform known as “BullRun 2.0,” to deceive victims. In one case, investigators said he convinced a 47-year-old U.S.-based woman to transfer $1 million under the guise of purchasing property in Florida for an orphanage. Another victim, a 70-year-old woman, was reportedly defrauded of over ₦25.7 million through the purchase of gift cards and high-end electronic devices that were shipped to Nigeria.
Items recovered from the suspect include multiple smartphones and a MacBook laptop valued at over ₦8 million. Police said Akpama posed as a 60-year-old United Nations orthopedic surgeon to gain trust and facilitate the fraud. The Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, reaffirmed the commitment of the Command to prevent airports from being used as escape routes for criminal suspects. The case has been transferred to the Nigeria Police Force Special Fraud Unit, and the suspect is expected to be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The Nigeria Police Force, Airport Police Command in Lagos, has arrested a 20-year-old suspect, Essien Emmanuel Akpama, over his alleged involvement in an international romance and celebrity fraud operation that reportedly defrauded victims in the United States of over ₦1 billion (more than $1 million). According to a police statement, Akpama was apprehended on January 5, 2026, by operatives of the Anti-Fraud Unit while attempting to board a flight out of Lagos following months of intelligence-led surveillance.
Police said the suspect previously lived in Calabar before relocating to Lagos in February 2024 and allegedly used a sophisticated online scam, including a cryptocurrency platform known as “BullRun 2.0,” to deceive victims. In one case, investigators said he convinced a 47-year-old U.S.-based woman to transfer $1 million under the guise of purchasing property in Florida for an orphanage. Another victim, a 70-year-old woman, was reportedly defrauded of over ₦25.7 million through the purchase of gift cards and high-end electronic devices that were shipped to Nigeria.
Items recovered from the suspect include multiple smartphones and a MacBook laptop valued at over ₦8 million. Police said Akpama posed as a 60-year-old United Nations orthopedic surgeon to gain trust and facilitate the fraud. The Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, reaffirmed the commitment of the Command to prevent airports from being used as escape routes for criminal suspects. The case has been transferred to the Nigeria Police Force Special Fraud Unit, and the suspect is expected to be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Lagos Airport Police Arrest Suspected International Romance Fraudster Over Alleged ₦1 Billion U.S. Scam as Nigeria Police Uncover Celebrity Impersonation, Crypto Fraud and Gift Card Scheme
The Nigeria Police Force, Airport Police Command in Lagos, has arrested a 20-year-old suspect, Essien Emmanuel Akpama, over his alleged involvement in an international romance and celebrity fraud operation that reportedly defrauded victims in the United States of over ₦1 billion (more than $1 million). According to a police statement, Akpama was apprehended on January 5, 2026, by operatives of the Anti-Fraud Unit while attempting to board a flight out of Lagos following months of intelligence-led surveillance.
Police said the suspect previously lived in Calabar before relocating to Lagos in February 2024 and allegedly used a sophisticated online scam, including a cryptocurrency platform known as “BullRun 2.0,” to deceive victims. In one case, investigators said he convinced a 47-year-old U.S.-based woman to transfer $1 million under the guise of purchasing property in Florida for an orphanage. Another victim, a 70-year-old woman, was reportedly defrauded of over ₦25.7 million through the purchase of gift cards and high-end electronic devices that were shipped to Nigeria.
Items recovered from the suspect include multiple smartphones and a MacBook laptop valued at over ₦8 million. Police said Akpama posed as a 60-year-old United Nations orthopedic surgeon to gain trust and facilitate the fraud. The Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, reaffirmed the commitment of the Command to prevent airports from being used as escape routes for criminal suspects. The case has been transferred to the Nigeria Police Force Special Fraud Unit, and the suspect is expected to be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
