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Nigeria extradites suspected romance scam operator to US over $1.5 million fraud – Technology Times
The Nigeria Police Force has extradited a suspected cyber fraudster, Samuel Ugberease, to the United States over alleged involvement in online romance scams and wire fraud schemes that targeted victims through digital platforms.
The extradition was executed by the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja following the completion of legal and diplomatic procedures between Nigerian and U.S. authorities, in what officials describe as part of intensifying international cooperation against transnational cybercrime networks.
Police investigations allege that between 2014 and 2018, Ugberease and members of his syndicate operated sophisticated online fraud schemes targeting female victims in the United States, particularly within the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Investigators say the syndicate used fake online identities and fabricated dating profiles to build fraudulent emotional relationships with victims before manipulating them into transferring large sums of money under false pretences and staged emergencies. According to investigators, one victim allegedly lost more than $1.5 million to the operation.
Investigators say the syndicate used fake online identities and fabricated dating profiles to build fraudulent emotional relationships with victims before manipulating them into transferring large sums of money under false pretences and staged emergencies.
According to investigators, one victim allegedly lost more than $1.5 million to the operation.
INTERPOL Red Notice triggers Lagos airport arrest, Police says
Authorities arrested Ugberease on December 14, 2025, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport shortly after he arrived on a flight from South Africa.
The arrest followed the issuance of an INTERPOL Red Notice, an international alert mechanism used to locate and provisionally detain wanted persons pending extradition proceedings.
The Nigeria Police say investigations revealed that the syndicate operated a layered financial structure designed to conceal the movement and origin of illicit funds.
“Further investigations established that proceeds of the fraud were laundered through multiple bank accounts used to receive, process, and conceal illicit funds,” the NPF says.
The case also exposed what investigators describe as a sophisticated international money laundering infrastructure linked to online romance fraud operations.
According to the United States Department of Justice, members of the network allegedly operated domestic financial nodes that controlled so-called “drop accounts” opened under fraudulent Georgia-based export companies.
Investigators say the accounts were used to obscure financial trails and rapidly transfer money through multiple banking channels before fraud detection systems could freeze the assets.
The structure allegedly enabled the syndicate to move funds from victims in the United States through commercial banking networks and eventually outside U.S. financial jurisdiction.
Romance scams: Nigeria intensifies global cybercrime crackdown
The case adds to a growing list of international cybercrime investigations involving Nigerian suspects and highlights expanding cooperation between Nigerian and foreign law enforcement agencies in tackling online fraud, financial crimes, and digital criminal networks.
In recent years, U.S. authorities have intensified investigations into romance scams, business email compromise schemes, wire fraud, and crypto-enabled financial crimes linked to transnational cybercrime groups.
The Nigeria Police Force says it is increasingly relying on INTERPOL intelligence systems, extradition agreements, and international policing partnerships to combat cybercrime and organised financial fraud.
Nigeria has also stepped up broader anti-cybercrime enforcement efforts.
Earlier in May 2026, Nigerian authorities extradited another foreign suspect wanted in connection with an alleged $245 million fraud investigation.
The Nigeria Police recently announced the repatriation of $23,000 recovered from an international romance scam operation involving a victim in the Cayman Islands, describing the recovery as part of its intelligence-led strategy against transnational cybercrime.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission deported 192 foreign nationals convicted of cyber-terrorism and internet fraud following major enforcement operations in Lagos linked to romance scams and cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes.
In March 2026, the EFCC also warned that illicit global cryptocurrency transactions exceeded $160 billion in 2025, underscoring growing international concern over digital financial crimes and crypto-enabled fraud networks.
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BY NECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR: The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in partnership with the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) and the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has begun a statewide telecom infrastructure sanitation initiative in Lagos.
The exercise is designed to clean up improperly installed telecommunications facilities and ensure better protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure across the state.
The first phase of the operation took place along Toyin Street in Ikeja and nearby areas, where officials discovered widespread cases of poorly arranged fibre optic cables.
Many of the cables were seen loosely suspended on fences, utility poles, drainage systems, and in some cases left lying directly on the ground.
Some of the exposed lines were still active and dangerously close to pedestrian movement, raising concerns about safety risks and environmental disorder.
The NCC said the initiative is part of a broader national effort to improve telecom infrastructure management and enhance quality of service for consumers.
The Commission also expressed concern over the poor installation practices observed in some parts of Lagos, noting that such conditions make infrastructure vulnerable to damage and service disruption.
LASIMRA, on its part, described the exercise as part of its balanced regulatory approach, which combines enforcement with engagement to ensure compliance.
The agency stressed that improper deployment of telecom infrastructure affects service quality, public safety, and the overall appearance of the urban environment.
Operators have been given a window, through ATCON, to correct identified issues before enforcement measures are fully applied.
ATCON said the exercise reflects the industry’s commitment to improving environmental standards and supporting a more organised and efficient telecom ecosystem in Lagos.
Telecom operators and infrastructure providers, including major industry players, participated in the exercise and expressed support for the initiative.
The cleanup drive is expected to continue across other parts of Lagos as regulators and stakeholders work to improve infrastructure standards, safety, and service reliability.
The post NCC, LASIMRA, ATCON Launch Statewide Telecom Cleanup in Lagos appeared first on Business Today NG.
By Adesewa George
The Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) has called for stronger sustainability measures, institutional reforms and increased private sector participation to improve Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in Nigeria.
The National Coordinator of NEWSAN, Mr Attah Benson, made the call during an advocacy visit to the Sustainable Urban-Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) Programme Office on Friday in Abuja.
Benson said the engagement was aimed at strengthening collaboration among stakeholders, reviewing implementation progress in SURWASH states and identifying areas requiring additional support.
According to him, the programme supports Nigeria’s commitment under the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) partnership to ensure citizens have access to safe and affordable water and sanitation services.
He said the programme, which began in seven states, was already influencing actions and reforms at the federal level.
Benson commended SURWASH for supporting Katsina State’s attainment of open defecation-free (ODF) status, describing it as one of only two ODF states in the country.
He said advocacy visits to project states showed progress in implementation but also revealed gaps in behavioural change interventions, institutional capacity and coordination among implementing partners.
“These engagements provided opportunities to strengthen multi-sectoral coordination at the state level, improve collaboration among partners and enhance programme delivery,” he said.
Benson also called for intensified integrated WASH interventions to tackle neglected tropical diseases prevalent in many states, including SURWASH implementation states.
He urged states lagging behind in ODF attainment to strengthen implementation and sustainability efforts, stressing that more than half of the SDGs depended directly or indirectly on progress in the WASH sector.
The NEWSAN coordinator reiterated the need for stronger private sector participation in the sector, noting that efforts over the years had produced limited results.
“States continue to look to the national level for stronger direction in encouraging private sector investment in the sector,” he said.
Benson reaffirmed NEWSAN’s commitment to providing technical support to stakeholders nationwide despite financial constraints.
Responding, the National Programme Coordinator of SURWASH, Mr Abdulhamid Gwaram, described NEWSAN as a critical partner in implementing the programme across participating states.
Gwaram said SURWASH differed from previous interventions because it combined infrastructure development with measurable service delivery outcomes.
“The challenge is that you cannot test service delivery without infrastructure, and you also cannot justify infrastructure without a proper service delivery system.
“What makes SURWASH different is that it combines infrastructure with service delivery,” he said.
He said the programme was shifting its focus from infrastructure provision alone to sustainability, accountability and long-term functionality of WASH facilities.
“If a state constructs a N10 billion water treatment plant that does not provide reliable water access for the people, then it has failed in terms of service delivery.
“But if a simple hand pump repaired with N10,000 begins to serve 100 people in a community, then meaningful service has been restored,” he said.
Gwaram said the programme had introduced measures to encourage institutions with effective maintenance systems, staffing structures and operational accountability.
He called on state governments to strengthen operational support for water and sanitation agencies through improved logistics, mobility and field monitoring capacity.
On private sector participation, Gwaram said stronger regulation and institutional reforms were necessary to attract investment into the WASH sector.
“At the moment, the private sector will not be interested in operating in a weak environment without proper regulation.
“So, we must strengthen regulations and improve infrastructure to make the WASH sector attractive to investors,” he said.
He added that the programme had introduced a “creditworthiness programme” to improve the financial and managerial capacity of state water agencies and prepare them for long-term investment partnerships.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 700 million dollar World Bank SURWASH programme, inaugurated on Feb. 14, 2022, has a six-year implementation period.
The programme is designed to strengthen sector policies and institutions to improve water and sanitation services in urban, small-town and rural communities.
SURWASH is currently being implemented in Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina and Plateau states, while Abia, Bauchi, Benue, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ogun, Jigawa and Taraba have recently been added to the programme. (NAN)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
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