Edo Spiritualist Arrested for $1,100 Sextortion of Indian Woman – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a self-acclaimed spiritualist, Odigie Moses, in Ekpoma, Edo State, for allegedly tricking an Indian woman into taking a naked spiritual bath, recording the session without her consent, and then blackmailing her for $1,100 .

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a self-acclaimed spiritualist, Odigie Moses, over his alleged involvement in a $1,100 sextortion scheme targeting an Indian woman . The anti-graft agency disclosed in a statement on Friday, August 7, 2026, that the suspect was apprehended in Ekpoma, Edo State, following an investigation into the alleged crime. The arrest forms part of the EFCC’s ongoing efforts to combat the growing menace of cybercrime and online blackmail, which have become increasingly sophisticated and transnational in nature, exploiting victims across borders through digital platforms.

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According to the EFCC, Moses allegedly misrepresented himself on the social media payment platform Zelle as possessing spiritual healing powers capable of solving life-threatening challenges, a claim designed to attract vulnerable individuals seeking quick solutions to personal problems. The victim, an Indian woman seeking spiritual intervention for personal problems, contacted him believing he could help her overcome the difficulties she was facing, unaware that she was being lured into a carefully orchestrated scheme. The suspect subsequently deceived her into taking a naked spiritual bath, a ritual he presented as necessary for the healing process, which he recorded live without her permission, betraying the trust she had placed in him. Following the recording, the suspect allegedly threatened to release the explicit video publicly unless the victim paid him money, using the threat of public humiliation to extort funds from her. Under duress and to prevent the circulation of her nude footage, the woman transferred **$1,100** to the suspect, hoping the payment would put an end to the ordeal. “Investigation by the EFCC revealed that the victim had to pay the sum of $1,100 to the suspect in order to prevail on him not to release her nudity to the public,” the anti-graft agency stated, confirming the extent of the blackmail.

The EFCC described the act as sextortion, a form of image-based abuse involving threats to share nude or sexual images to coerce victims into complying with financial demands, a crime that has become increasingly common in the digital age as perpetrators exploit the anonymity and reach of the internet. The commission confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that Moses will be charged to court upon their conclusion, ensuring that the suspect faces the full weight of the law for his alleged crimes. The EFCC’s swift action in this case sends a strong message to cybercriminals that law enforcement agencies are committed to protecting victims and prosecuting offenders, regardless of where they operate from.

Edo Spiritualist Arrested for $1,100 Sextortion of Indian Woman – EFCC

Fake Agency Director Blew N400m on Cars, Relatives, Luxury Items – Police

The Nigeria Police Force has uncovered how Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who posed as Director-General of a fictitious Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), squandered N400 million on vehicles, family members, and luxury items. The investigation also revealed that he obtained an additional N100 million loan from a microfinance bank to sustain his extravagant lifestyle .

The Nigeria Police Force has conducted a comprehensive investigation into a case of alleged criminal conspiracy, forgery, impersonation, obtaining money under false pretences, theft of public funds, and money laundering , following a petition from the Chief of Staff to the President that exposed the activities of fraudsters operating within government circles. The probe was initiated following a written petition dated October 17, 2025, from Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, addressed to the Director-General of the Department of State Services and copied to the Inspector-General of Police . The petition drew attention to the activities of fraudsters forwarding official appointment letters purportedly from the Chief of Staff’s office, a revelation that prompted immediate security intervention and a comprehensive investigation into the matter.

The Inspector-General of Police directed the IGP-Monitoring Unit to investigate the case, setting in motion a chain of events that would uncover the full extent of the deception . The unit immediately commenced investigation and arrested the principal suspect, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who claimed to be Director-General of a fictitious Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC)/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) , on October 27, 2025 . His statement was obtained under caution, in which he claimed he received the fake appointment letter from one Babatunde Dolapo Tanimola, who is now deceased, a convenient explanation that would later be contradicted by forensic evidence . The suspect was subsequently charged to Court in November 2025 for criminal conspiracy and forgery, but the investigation was far from complete as more evidence continued to emerge. A second petition from the Chief of Staff dated June 29, 2026, was referred to the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre for discreet investigation and report . The investigation team obtained voluntary statements from the complainant and seven witnesses, along with cautionary statements from 22 suspects whose names emerged during the investigation, revealing the extensive network of individuals who had been drawn into the fraudulent scheme . The team also forwarded specimen signatures of the complainant and one Mr. Segun Imohiosen for forensic analysis, a critical step that would prove decisive in establishing the forgery .

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Analysis of the suspect’s World Entrepreneurs Nigeria Ltd, GTBank account No. 0695674387 revealed that the suspect received a total of N380 million in four tranches from Divine Dopacy Nigeria Ltd, a company owned by Oyekunle Gbenga Collins, who was allegedly lured by the suspect to part with the funds under the false pretence of facilitating the award of a N2.8 billion contract for the renovation of an official residence purportedly allocated to the suspect by the EFCC . Collins had been promised a N2.8 billion contract for the renovation of an official residence purportedly allocated to the suspect by the EFCC, a promise that proved entirely fictitious . The payments were made between May and July 2025: N100 million on May 16, another N100 million on May 22, a third N100 million on May 28, and N80 million on June 20, 2025, demonstrating the systematic nature of the fraud . Further analysis on the account revealed that the suspect used the proceeds for the purchase of two personal vehicles and transferred large sums to his personal accounts and family members, revealing the true destination of the funds he had fraudulently obtained . This directly contradicted Adeyemi’s claim that he converted the total N400 million to USD and handed it over to the complainant through the late Babatunde Dolapo Tanimola, exposing his lies about the fate of the money . Analysis conducted on the suspect’s Sunshine Confectionery and Catering Services Access Bank Plc Account No. 1379777557 revealed that the suspect received N20 million from the same Divine Dopacy Nigeria Ltd on July 29, 2025, bringing the total fraudulently obtained funds to N400 million . The suspect also laundered the proceeds through personal expenses and donations, again contradicting his claim about the funds being converted to dollars and proving that he had systematically defrauded his victims . Police investigations revealed that Adeyemi also obtained an N100 million loan from a microfinance bank to sustain his high-end lifestyle, indicating that even the substantial proceeds from his fraudulent activities were insufficient to fund his lavish spending habits .

Response letter from Handwriting Experts dated March 18, 2026, confirmed that the signatures on the disputed documents are not the same as the signature of the complainant, proving the purported letters of appointment were forged and not issued by the Chief of Staff, thereby dismantling Adeyemi’s claims of legitimacy . One Mr. Segun Imohiosen, the former Director, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, confirmed that he did not sign the purported Mandate and Terms of Reference for the pioneering office of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council dated January 6, 2025, further exposing the extent of the forgery and the lengths to which the suspect had gone to create an elaborate web of deception . The police investigation identified five top government officials who played a major role in facilitating the commission of the offences, individuals whose negligence or complicity enabled the fraud to succeed . They have been recommended for trial depending on the opinion of the Director of Public Prosecution, meaning they could face legal consequences for their roles in the scandal . The officials include two directors in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, a Special Assistant in the Budget Office, an Assistant Director with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, and a seconded staff from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation . The report stated: “Investigation further revealed that some key staff of ministries and agencies played a major role in facilitating the commission of the offences” , confirming that institutional failures had enabled the fraud to persist . The ICPC’s investigation separately identified weaknesses in verification procedures, inter-agency coordination, and internal controls in these MDAs that were exploited by the suspect, pointing to systemic issues that needed to be addressed to prevent similar frauds in the future .

The suspect successfully smuggled forged documents to the Offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of Service of the Federation, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, convincing multiple government agencies of his legitimacy through a combination of forged paperwork and personal charm . Staff in these offices negligently processed and approved all requests made by the suspect, leading to the fictitious agency receiving an Administrative Code, office space at the Federal Secretariat, official vehicles, Authorized Establishment, Administrative Waiver to recruit 300 staff, Secondment of Officers, opening of two accounts with the CBN (USD and GBP), Provisional Self-Accounting Status, and inclusion in the 2026 Appropriation budget . The report noted that staff in these offices failed to conduct due diligence, thereby allowing the forged documents smuggled by the principal suspect to get approvals, a failure that has now been identified as a major weakness in government administrative processes . The ICPC, in its separate investigation ordered by President Bola Tinubu on July 7, 2026, uncovered two additional fictitious government agencies allegedly created by Adeyemi: the FCT Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency/Public-Private Partnership (FIPA-PPP) . The suspect used fake legislative instruments styled as enabling Acts to facilitate their creation and relied on them to open bank accounts, further demonstrating the scale and sophistication of his fraudulent enterprise .

Fake Agency Director Blew N400m on Cars, Relatives, Luxury Items – Police

DSS Arrests Three More Suspects Over Nasarawa University Professor’s Kidnap

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested three additional suspects in connection with the abduction of Professor Samuel Avengbe Okunsebor, Dean of Agriculture at Nasarawa State University. The arrests bring the total number of suspects in custody to five, following intelligence-led operations that also led to the professor’s rescue less than 48 hours after he was taken .

The three suspects were apprehended on Friday night at a local brothel along the Mararraban Akunza axis of the Lafia-Makurdi highway, according to a security source familiar with the operation . The arrests followed sustained intelligence gathering into the kidnapping network responsible for the abduction of the university don. The operation demonstrated the DSS’s commitment to tracking down all members of the criminal syndicate, leaving no stone unturned in the investigation. Security sources have identified the suspects as 25-year-old Yakubu Abubakar (also known as Black or Starboy), who hails from the Doemak community in Plateau State; 37-year-old Usman Abubakar Mairiga, who is Hausa; and 27-year-old Sale Babauro Abubakar, who is Fulani . The suspects are currently in the custody of the DSS Nasarawa State Command for further investigation, with their detention backed by a valid warrant obtained from a magistrate’s court, ensuring that the arrests are legally sound and that the suspects’ rights are respected throughout the legal process.

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Professor Okunsebor was abducted in the early hours of Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at Mile Uku, a border community between Lafia and Nasarawa-Eggon Local Government Areas . Gunmen reportedly stormed the area at midnight and whisked the professor away to an unknown location, sparking immediate concern among the university community and the wider public. Following intelligence-driven operations and sustained surveillance, DSS operatives successfully located and rescued the professor at about 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 17 – less than 48 hours after his abduction . He was rescued unharmed, a testament to the professionalism and dedication of the security operatives involved in the operation. After the rescue, the DSS formally handed over the professor to his family members in the presence of senior university officials, including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kitso Ngbargu . Professor Okunsebor was subsequently taken to the Federal University of Lafia Teaching Hospital for medical evaluation and routine checks after his time in captivity, ensuring that he received the necessary medical attention following his ordeal.

Two suspects – a man and a woman – were initially arrested during the operation that led to the professor’s rescue . The latest arrests bring the total number of suspects in custody to five, significantly strengthening the case against the kidnapping network. The management of Nasarawa State University expressed profound appreciation to the DSS for what it described as a swift, professional, and successful rescue operation . A senior university official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated: “The university is greatly indebted to the DSS for working round the clock to ensure the timely rescue of our amiable Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture” . The official added: “Given how the DSS has been meticulously prosecuting suspects in courts, we have little doubt that both suspects will soon have their day in court” , reflecting the university’s confidence in the judicial process and the quality of the investigation.

Security sources have confirmed that investigations are ongoing to dismantle the full kidnapping network and determine the roles played by the arrested suspects . Efforts have been intensified to apprehend other members of the criminal syndicate who remain at large, with the DSS continuing to gather intelligence and track down those responsible for the abduction. The successful rescue and series of arrests have been hailed by residents and members of the university community as a major breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping in Nasarawa State . The swift action by security agencies has been widely praised, reinforcing public confidence in the ability of law enforcement to respond to security threats and protect citizens from criminal activities.

DSS Arrests Three More Suspects Over Nasarawa University Professor’s Kidnap