January 7, 2026 l Dalena Reporters
LAGOS — Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Airport Police Command, have apprehended a 20-year-old suspected internet fraudster, Essien Emmanuel Akpama, accused of orchestrating a sophisticated romance and celebrity scam that allegedly defrauded foreign victims chiefly in the United States of America of about ₦1.25 billion (over $1 million). The arrest, made on January 5, 2026, was effected as the suspect sought to board a flight out of Lagos State, according to a statement from the police.
Police confirmed that Akpama was apprehended by the Anti-Fraud Unit of the Airport Police Command following months of intelligence-led surveillance and monitoring, part of intensified efforts to disrupt transnational crimes and ensure Nigeria’s airports are not leveraged as escape corridors by criminal elements.
Preliminary investigations reveal that Akpama, a former resident of Calabar in Cross River State, relocated to Lagos State in February 2024 — from where he allegedly coordinated and executed multiple fraudulent schemes targeting foreign nationals. In one prominent case, he is accused of using elaborate online tactics, including celebrity and romance scams, to deceive a 47-year-old woman in the United States into transferring approximately $1 million under the pretext of purchasing property in Florida purportedly for an orphanage project. The transaction was purportedly facilitated through a cryptocurrency platform known as “BullRun 2.0,” formerly called “4 Way Mirror Money.
Authorities further allege that Akpama deceived another 70-year-old U.S. woman into relinquishing ₦25,709,400 (about $18,000) through purchases of gift cards, high-end mobile phones and computer equipment, subsequently shipped to Nigeria at his direction.
Recovered items linked to the alleged criminal activity include a MacBook Pro 14-inch, an iPhone 17 Pro Max, two Google Pixel 10 Pro XL phones, and one Google Pixel 10 Pro, collectively valued at ₦8,141,367.
According to police, Akpama is alleged to have posed online as a 60-year-old orthopaedic surgeon employed by the United Nations in Nigeria, a false identity reportedly used to foster trust and secure compliance from victims.
Airport Police Commissioner Ogunbode Olufunke, Mnips, PhD, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating fraud and organised crime, emphasising that intelligence-driven operations remain central to detecting, disrupting and dismantling criminal networks operating within and around Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.
The case has now been transferred to the Nigeria Police Force Special Fraud Unit (NPF-SFU) for further investigation. Upon conclusion of the inquiry, Akpama is expected to be arraigned in court, where he will face charges related to the alleged offences.