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Abuja Court Jails Fake Spiritualist One Year for Sextortion

Published

40 minutes ago

September 12, 2026

Abuja Court Jails Fake Spiritualist One Year for Sextortion

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Solomon Odigie Moses, a fake spiritualist, to one year in prison after he defrauded an Indian woman seeking spiritual assistance and later allegedly used a secretly recorded nude video to blackmail and extort money from her.

Justice C.N. Nwabulu handed down the sentence on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, after Moses pleaded guilty to a one-count charge bordering on cheating and impersonation as a spiritualist.

The case was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which told the court that Moses used a fictitious TikTok account to present himself as a spiritual leader known as “Dr Solomon”.

According to the anti-graft agency, Moses used the social media account to establish contact with an Indian woman identified as Sharon Kaur, who had approached him seeking spiritual healing, prayers and assistance.

Moses allegedly convinced Kaur that he could provide the spiritual help she needed and obtained $1,100 from her for the purported service.

The EFCC said the money was received through Moses’ Zelle payment platform, after which the naira equivalent was transferred into his local bank account.

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The investigation later led to Moses’ arrest in Ekpoma, Edo State, as investigators uncovered another dimension to the alleged fraud involving the victim’s intimate privacy.

The EFCC said Moses subsequently persuaded Kaur to participate in what he presented as a spiritual bath.

During the session, he allegedly caused her to appear naked and secretly recorded the session without her consent.

Moses then allegedly threatened to release the nude recording publicly unless Kaur paid him additional money.

The EFCC said its investigation established that the victim eventually paid another $1,100 to persuade Moses not to publish or distribute the footage.

The case therefore involved two separate payments of $1,100, according to the prosecution: the first allegedly obtained under the guise of providing spiritual services and the second allegedly paid after the victim was threatened with exposure of the intimate recording.

The charge before the court stated that Moses fraudulently impersonated a spiritual leader named Dr Solomon through a fictitious TikTok account and obtained $1,100 from Kaur under the guise of providing spiritual prayers and assistance.

The alleged offence was said to contravene Section 321 of the Penal Code Act applicable in the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under Section 322 of the same law.

When the charge was read to him, Moses pleaded guilty.

Following his plea, EFCC prosecution counsel, Maryam Hayatudeen, urged the court to convict and sentence him in accordance with the law.

Justice Nwabulu subsequently sentenced Moses to one year imprisonment with an option of a N300,000 fine.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the $1,100 proceeds of crime to the victim through the EFCC.

The conviction highlights the risks associated with online fraud, social media impersonation and sextortion, particularly schemes in which fraudsters exploit people seeking emotional, spiritual or personal assistance.

The case also demonstrates how online deception can escalate into sexual blackmail, with perpetrators allegedly using private or intimate material obtained from victims as leverage to demand additional payments.

The authorities have continued to warn members of the public to exercise caution when dealing with unknown individuals online, particularly those who make claims of providing spiritual, financial or other specialised services through social media platforms.

Moses’ conviction adds to cases being prosecuted by the EFCC involving the use of digital platforms and false identities to defraud victims and obtain money.

Abuja Court Jails Fake Spiritualist One Year for Sextortion

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Ondo Herbal Drink Tragedy: Survivor Vows Never to Drink Again as Death Toll Tops 30

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How I Conspired with My Son’s Teacher to Stage His Kidnap for N15m Ransom

Published

1 minute ago

September 12, 2026

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How I Conspired with My Son’s Teacher to Stage His Kidnap for N15m Ransom

A 38-year-old mother of two, Catherine (surname withheld), has confessed to masterminding the fake kidnap of her own two-year-old son in Jos, Plateau State, in a desperate bid to extort N15 million ransom from her husband. Catherine and two suspected accomplices, Nansik and Emmanuel, were arrested by operatives of the Federal Intelligence Department-Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) following a reported case of child kidnapping. The Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, confirmed the arrests in a statement. According to CSP Iniedu, Catherine conspired with her first child’s home lesson teacher, Nansik, to stage the kidnap of her two-year-old son, Jesse, and created the impression that the child had been genuinely abducted. To support the abduction plot, a third suspect, Emmanuel, was contacted and asked to make calls to the child’s grandmother to demand a N15 million ransom, while the child was kept at Nansik’s residence. “The child was subsequently located and safely rescued. After receiving medical attention, he was handed over to his biological father,” CSP Iniedu stated.

The Saturday Tribune learnt that before the toddler’s planned kidnap was carried out, the mother had given the teacher all necessary items, including nappies, beverages, and food items that the boy would need. It was further gathered that immediately Nansik arrived at her house with the boy, she allegedly removed the clothes he wore and dressed him in a girl’s outfit as a disguise so that he would not be recognised. Nansik also allegedly bought an unregistered SIM card, contacted Emmanuel, and asked him to call the boy’s grandmother to demand a N15 million ransom. Following the report of the case, the conversation between Catherine and Nansik was intercepted on 23 July, four days after the abduction. This led to Nansik’s tracking by the IRT operatives, her arrest, and the rescue of the toddler who, oblivious to what was happening, was found in a relaxed position at the planner’s house. Catherine and Emmanuel were also apprehended after Nansik’s confession.

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In an interview, Catherine, who hails from Nasarawa State, told the Saturday Tribune that she lived comfortably with her husband in Jos before she was badly influenced by Nansik. According to Catherine, “Nansik, who gave her name to us as Praise, has been my first child’s home lesson teacher for the past five years. Then, she was working at the school that my daughter was attending. She complained to me that my daughter was not catching up, asking my family to do something about it. She suggested an extra lesson for the child, which I discussed with my husband, and he agreed. Since then, she has been with us.” Narrating how her son’s staged kidnap was planned, Catherine said it began with an issue she had with her husband over money. “Towards the end of January, we went for a hangout as a couple. As we were talking, he asked me if I had money with me, and I replied in the negative. Then, he asked: ‘What if an emergency arises?’ I responded by saying he was always around to tackle any emergency, and he laughed over it. The following day, my husband transferred N200,000 into my account. When I saw it, I asked him what it was for, and he told me to keep it in case of any emergency, so that I would have money to use. But as for me, I have everything in my house. My husband provides everything for me. He even dropped an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card with cash in it for me to use anytime I needed anything. We call it utility card. So, when he gave me the N200,000, I paid it as a contribution into a cooperative group I belong to so that by the end of the year, I would use it to buy some things. On 21 June, I needed to go for my husband’s uncle’s child’s dedication, so, on 20 June, I told him I needed money to fuel the car while we were on the phone. He was not around then, and I didn’t have much fuel in my car. He asked me to use the utility card to purchase N50,000 fuel. Coincidentally, my neighbour was going to the same event, and she followed me. However, on getting to the filling station, the card couldn’t dispense money. I told my neighbour to help me out, with the thought that I would get the money from my husband to refund her, but he was very angry with me when I told him, saying that it was the reason he gave me N200,000 in case of any emergency. I needed to pay back the N50,000 I borrowed from my neighbour due to pressure, while attempts to use the utility card were unsuccessful as it was telling us ‘transaction failed’. My husband was shouting at me in a video call, asking for the reason I paid the money as a contribution. He angrily told me to pay back our neighbour’s N50,000 and send the remaining N150,000 to him. I started pleading with him, but he refused to listen to me. Nansik, who was in our house at that time overheard him because we placed the call on the speaker. At the end of the call, she asked why my husband was behaving rashly like he just did. I eventually got the money from my mother to pay my neighbour though I didn’t tell her what happened. After that, my husband kept calling me almost every day, asking for the remaining N150,000. I didn’t know where to get it from because the money he gave me was already in the contribution account. That was when Nansik told me of a woman, a firewood seller, who planned self-kidnap, and her husband paid ransom, which she shared with those she planned the kidnap with. She advised me to do the same thing so that I would have money and even help her because she gave birth to a child out of wedlock. I told her that if I tried it, my husband would believe it to be a deception and would not pay anything. However, she kept pestering me. Then in July, she said we should stage the kidnap of my son whom my husband loves so much. She said I should leave everything for her to handle. Initially, I said we should ask for N3 million as ransom, but she suggested a higher amount so that after negotiations, it would come to the amount I desired. When I expressed my fear that our actions would end my marriage if my husband got to know about my involvement, she swore that she would not disclose it even if she was caught.”

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On how the plan was carried out, Catherine said: “Nansik suggested my grandmother’s house which she said would be easier to come to because it was easily accessible. On 19 July, we went to Grandma’s house after leaving the church. Nansik brought a tricycle, and my son, who was very familiar with her, ran to meet her when he saw her outside. That was how he was taken away. Later, someone she contracted to join her called grandma, demanding N15 million. The day that she picked the child, I felt it deep within me. I went inside and cried, but nobody knew what was going on. I tried to call her, because the amount demanded was too high, but her lines were switched off. After some days, the matter escalated. When I eventually got her, she said she would come to my mother-in-law’s house where we stayed after the incident.”

“The police called me, asking me to come to the station, that they had rescued my child. When I got there, I saw Nansik and the child, and during the interrogation, she told them that I was the one who planned everything with her. At first, I was scared and denied it, but when she kept insisting and giving details of our conversation, I had no choice but to confess the truth.” When asked whether she realised the gravity of what she did, the mother of two replied: “I am very, very sorry. It was the work of the devil. I was overwhelmed and confused because of the pressure from my husband to return the money, and Nansik manipulated me into doing it. I deeply regret my actions.”

In her confession, 34-year-old Nansik admitted her participation in the kidnap of the child, but said she was drawn into a ransom plan by the child’s mother. Nansik, who claimed to be an NCE certificate holder and combines teaching with poultry farming and private lesson coaching, said the plan emerged from conversations with the child’s mother over her financial difficulties and alleged disagreement with her husband. Nansik also admitted that she eventually kidnapped the child and kept him while attempts were made to demand ransom from the father. According to her, the scheme began during one of her regular lesson visits to Catherine’s home when she complained about financial problems and pressure from her husband over money. Nansik said the conversation eventually shifted to ways of raising money, with Catherine saying that if she chose self-kidnap, her husband would not pay anything because of the issue they had. She added that it was Catherine who identified her son as the person her husband was particularly fond of and said he would be willing to pay if the boy was kidnapped. The suspect denied an allegation that she introduced the idea of kidnapping by citing a woman who had allegedly carried out a similar act. “There is no woman I know on this planet that’s selling firewood that kidnapped herself. That is a pure lie,” she said. Instead, Nansik claimed the child’s mother was the person who raised the possibility of kidnapping and cited a previous kidnapping incident within her family. “She even gave me an instance of the kidnap. She brought this issue. She gave me an instance of a kidnap in their own family, and the ransom was paid,” she said. The suspect said the plan became more concrete after Catherine allegedly provided her with food items and discussed how the child would be kept. “She gave me Milo, Golden Morn, and then rice,” Nansik told the Saturday Tribune. She said the plan was later activated after a telephone conversation on 16 July. According to her, Catherine wanted the operation carried out on a Sunday because the family was expected to travel to Abuja. Nansik further confessed that she was given N7,000 to facilitate the operation, including money for a SIM card and transportation to pick up the child. She said that she subsequently brought Emmanuel into the plan as she considered him close enough to approach for assistance. According to the suspect, Emmanuel initially agreed to participate but later backed out after discovering that the kidnapped child’s photograph had gone viral on social media when he saw photographs of the missing child circulating online. Asked who first demanded the ransom, Nansik identified Emmanuel, but stated that she subsequently made other ransom calls using the altered voice enabled by Emmanuel before he backed out.

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The third suspect in the staged kidnap ring, 32-year-old Emmanuel, admitted to his involvement in the kidnapping of Catherine’s child, saying he was asked to demand ransom, for which he was promised N2 million if the operation succeeded. The suspect, who is a painter and 400-level student of a state university in the North Central, said that Nansik contacted him and told him about the plan, initially describing it as a fake kidnapping. “She told me that I would be the one to speak for the ransom,” he said. Emmanuel said he demanded N15 million from the child’s grandmother, later reducing it to N10 million after she said the family could not afford the initial demand. He also confessed that attempts were made to disguise his voice to sound like a male Hausa-speaking kidnapper. However, he said he later became uncomfortable with the plan and withdrew after the voice-changing attempt failed. “I told Nansik that this thing was not working,” he said. The suspect stated further that he returned to his painting job but was arrested on Thursday, 23 July. The FPRO stated that the suspects would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations. The case highlights the growing trend of staged kidnappings in Nigeria, where individuals conspire with others to fake abductions in order to extort money from relatives.

How I Conspired with My Son’s Teacher to Stage His Kidnap for N15m Ransom

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Six Nigerians Extradited to US Over $6m Romance Scam

Published

21 minutes ago

September 12, 2026

Trends Admin

Six Nigerians Extradited to US Over $6m Romance Scam

Six Nigerians Extradited to US Over $6m Romance Scam

Six Nigerian nationals accused of operating a sophisticated online romance scam that defrauded more than 100 American women of approximately $6 million (over N8 billion) have been extradited from South Africa to the United States to face trial. The suspects, arrested in Cape Town in 2021, are believed to be members of Black Axe, a notorious Nigerian organised crime syndicate linked to internet fraud, human trafficking and murder. They were handed over to officials from the FBI and the United States Secret Service at Cape Town International Airport on Friday. The extradition coincides with a significant diplomatic escalation between Nigeria and South Africa, as Nigeria’s National Assembly announced the suspension of all official visits to South Africa over recurring xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians and other African nationals.

South Africa’s elite Hawks police unit confirmed that the six suspects were transported from a correctional facility in Cape Town to the airport, where they were formally transferred to US custody. Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the men were wanted by US authorities on charges including wire fraud and money laundering. Upon arrival in the United States, they are expected to face federal indictments. The suspects allegedly targeted pensioners and businesspeople through “sophisticated online relationships used to defraud them of their money,” according to the Hawks. The total losses exceeded 100 million rand, equivalent to approximately $6 million or £5 million.

According to the US Justice Department, members of the group used social media websites, online dating platforms, and internet-based phone calls to identify and communicate with victims in the United States while operating under numerous aliases. A common narrative involved a purported online love interest travelling to Cape Town to work on a construction project. The victim would then be told that this person had been mugged and needed a phone and other electronic devices sent to South Africa. Victims were also persuaded to provide loans for purported crane repairs, legal fees from an accident at the site, or foreign taxes to release a larger sum of money owed to them. The group allegedly also used victims’ bank accounts and US-based financial accounts to transfer money to South Africa. In some cases, victims were convinced to open financial accounts in the US that the alleged conspirators were then permitted to use themselves.

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Black Axe began as a Nigerian student fraternity in the late 1970s called the Neo Black Movement of Africa. It has since evolved into a structured, violent criminal organisation frequently engaged in financial cybercrime. A BBC Eye investigation in 2021 described the syndicate as one of the most far-reaching and dangerous organised crime groups in the world. Nigeria remains its main recruitment ground, and many members are university-educated and inducted during their schooling. The FBI launched operations against Black Axe in November 2019 and September 2021, leading to charges against more than 35 individuals over alleged multimillion-dollar internet fraud. In 2021, the US Justice Department announced federal charges against eight men allegedly linked to the group, including conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft. Interpol has coordinated multiple operations targeting the network. In its most recent operation, conducted between November 2025 and June 2026, seven locations in South Africa linked to a syndicate involved in romance and investment scams were raided. The operation led to 39 arrests, the seizure of money, and the blocking of more than 250 bank accounts.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s National Assembly has resolved to suspend all official visits to South Africa and boycott South African-hosted or organised legislative activities until further notice. The decision, announced in a statement signed by Clerk to the National Assembly Kamoru Ogunlana, followed consultations between the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The National Assembly expressed “grave concern over the continuing reports of xenophobic attacks, violence, intimidation, destruction of property and other forms of hostility directed at Nigerians and other African nationals resident in the Republic of South Africa.” The leadership noted that despite repeated appeals by the Federal Government of Nigeria and other stakeholders to South African authorities, reports of such incidents had persisted.

The suspension covers all official visits to South Africa by the National Assembly, its committees, lawmakers, officials and staff, as well as participation in conferences, seminars, workshops, parliamentary meetings and legislative exchanges organised or hosted by South African legislative authorities. It also includes both physical and virtual participation in South African-hosted legislative programmes. The National Assembly emphasised that the decision was not intended to undermine longstanding diplomatic relations between Nigeria and South Africa, but rather constituted “a strong expression of concern over the safety, dignity and welfare of Nigerians living and conducting legitimate businesses in South Africa.” It called on the South African government to take “urgent and concrete measures” to protect Nigerians and other African nationals, prevent further xenophobic attacks, investigate reported incidents thoroughly, arrest suspected perpetrators and ensure those found culpable are prosecuted.

Nigerian officials have said at least 98 Nigerians have been killed in mob attacks and hate-related incidents in South Africa since 2022. This year alone, 1,695 Nigerians have been voluntarily evacuated amid xenophobia-related tensions, according to Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner in Pretoria. South African authorities have reported that more than 86,000 African migrants have been repatriated in recent months due to xenophobic violence, though figures released by migrants’ home countries put the total at approximately 178,000. Nigeria has evacuated 1,490 nationals through government-supported flights. The tensions are a recurring feature of Nigeria-South Africa relations, with major outbreaks occurring in 2008, 2015 and 2019. The worst episode in recent memory occurred in 2008, when more than 60 people lost their lives. In July, South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola led a delegation to Abuja for talks aimed at easing tensions, saying the South African government condemned “all forms of xenophobia.”

Six Nigerians Extradited to US Over $6m Romance Scam

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Ondo Herbal Drink Tragedy: Survivor Vows Never to Drink Again as Death Toll Tops 30

Published

1 hour ago

September 12, 2026

Trends Admin

Ondo Herbal Drink Tragedy: Survivor Vows Never to Drink Again as Death Toll Tops 30

A survivor of the suspected herbal drink tragedy in Ondo State has vowed never to drink alcohol again if God saves him, as the number of people reported dead after consuming suspected adulterated locally made alcoholic drinks in parts of Odigbo Local Government Area has risen to more than 30.

The incident has plunged communities including Odigbo town, Newtown, Orita and Araromi-Obu into mourning, with more than 50 other people reportedly receiving treatment in various health facilities.

The exact number of deaths has varied in different official and media updates as health authorities continue to verify cases and investigate the cause of the deaths.

Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, confirmed that a man suspected of selling the drink had been arrested and handed over to the police in Akure.

“A suspect alleged to have sold the herbal drink has been arrested and handed over to the police in Akure,” Adegoroye said.

He added that investigations were ongoing to determine the source and composition of the substance consumed by the victims.

According to the council chairman, preliminary findings from medical experts and toxicologists pointed to the consumption of adulterated locally made alcoholic drinks as a possible link to the deaths.

He said the local government sought urgent intervention after he alerted Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, leading to the deployment of a medical team from Akure to the affected communities.

The team, according to Adegoroye, included officials from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The authorities have continued to investigate the precise substance responsible for the deaths and illnesses, with health officials carrying out medical and toxicological examinations.

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Adegoroye said some of the locally made drinks being investigated were known by different names in the communities, including “Jeji” and “Ere”.

He also identified unapproved locally produced alcoholic drinks and substances suspected to contain unsafe forms of ethanol among the products being examined by toxicologists.

The local government has consequently banned the sale and consumption of locally made alcoholic drinks in the affected areas and directed security agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone who violates the order.

The ban followed growing concerns that continued consumption or sale of unregulated alcoholic products could result in additional deaths.

The authorities have also intensified public awareness campaigns, urging residents to avoid unapproved alcoholic drinks, herbal mixtures, concoctions and other substances whose contents and safety cannot be verified.

The Ondo State Government had earlier confirmed that the deaths were being investigated as a possible public-health emergency after several people suddenly became ill and died within a short period.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, said preliminary investigations had ruled out some infectious causes, while authorities continued to examine the possibility of toxic substances in drinks consumed by some of the victims.

Health officials have stressed the need to establish the exact cause through laboratory and toxicological investigations rather than relying solely on accounts from residents or relatives.

Authorities have also taken steps to preserve evidence and determine the circumstances surrounding individual deaths.

Meanwhile, one of the survivors of the incident, 32-year-old Shola Adebayo, has recounted how consuming just two shots of a locally made drink known as “Monkey Tail” left him struggling with his eyesight.

Adebayo said a friend brought the drink from Ore, after which they consumed it together.

He said he did not initially realise that anything was seriously wrong but discovered the following day that he could no longer see properly.

“I took Monkey Tail. On Saturday, I discovered I couldn’t see very well, so I called my sister and I was taken to the hospital,” Adebayo said.

He said his condition had started improving after receiving medical treatment but that he was still praying for his eyesight to return fully.

“I’m getting better, but I’m praying for my eyes,” he said.

The experience, he added, had changed his attitude towards alcohol.

“If God saves me, I swear I will never take any drinks again. Even beer, I won’t take,” the survivor pleaded.

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Adebayo’s account has added to concerns over the potential dangers of consuming locally produced alcoholic drinks whose ingredients, concentration and production processes are unknown.

Families of some of those who died have also spoken about the devastating impact of the incident on the affected communities.

A relative of some victims, Adebayo Adetayo Adedeji, said his family and community had lost three young men whom he identified as Leo, Bidemi and Matthew.

He said Bidemi’s death was particularly painful because the young man was not known to have any illness before he suddenly complained of dizziness and died.

Adedeji welcomed the local government’s decision to suspend the sale and consumption of the suspected drinks, saying stronger action was needed to prevent further deaths.

“If they had not banned the drinking or selling of alcohol in the local government, by now Odigbo would have been a death depot,” he said.

The traditional ruler of Odigbo Kingdom, Oba Dr Rufus Akinrimade, also urged residents to be cautious about what they consume.

The monarch dismissed claims that the deaths were caused by a cultural taboo, saying information available to the community pointed towards the consumption of locally made alcoholic substances.

“At the end of the day, we realised it was caused by taking different alcoholic substances, locally made alcohol,” the monarch said.

He urged residents, particularly young people, to establish the source and safety of substances before consuming them.

The incident has prompted renewed calls for tighter regulation of locally produced alcoholic drinks and stronger enforcement against the sale of unapproved beverages.

Authorities have warned that producers and sellers of unapproved or adulterated alcoholic products could face prosecution if investigations establish their involvement.

For now, however, health authorities are continuing to investigate the exact toxic substance, while the arrested suspected seller remains in police custody as the probe progresses.

The Ondo State Government has urged residents of Odigbo and surrounding communities to remain calm, cooperate with investigators and immediately seek medical attention if they experience symptoms after consuming any alcoholic or herbal product.

The government has also advised residents to avoid unapproved drinks and substances until the investigation into the deaths is concluded.

As survivors such as Adebayo continue treatment, the tragedy has left affected communities grappling with grief while authorities work to establish what caused the deaths and prevent a recurrence.