The Nigeria Police Force has extradited an alleged cyber fraud suspect, Samuel Ugberease, to the United States over accusations linked to online romance scams and wire fraud involving more than $1.5 million.

Police said Ugberease, also known by aliases including “Putsammy”, “Putput”, and “Sammy”, was handed over to US authorities on Wednesday, 14 May 2026, after the completion of extradition proceedings in Nigeria.

According to the police, the suspect had been living in South Africa before his arrest in Lagos in December 2025.

How the alleged scam operated

Investigators said the suspect and his accomplices allegedly operated an online fraud syndicate between 2014 and 2018, targeting women in the US through fake dating profiles and emotional manipulation schemes.

The alleged victims were reportedly deceived into sending large amounts of money under false claims, including fabricated emergencies and relationship-related requests.

Authorities said the fraud network mainly targeted victims in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Police investigators also alleged that proceeds from the scams were moved through several bank accounts to conceal the origin of the funds.

In one case highlighted by investigators, the suspect was allegedly linked to the defrauding of a victim of more than $1.5 million.

“The Nigeria Police Force reiterates its commitment to leveraging INTERPOL tools, international partnerships, and intelligence-led policing to combat cybercrime,” the Force said in a statement.

Arrest at Lagos airport

The suspect was arrested by officers attached to the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Abuja at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on 14 December 2025.

Police said the arrest followed an INTERPOL Red Notice issued by US authorities.

The extradition process was later approved by the Federal High Court in Lagos under Nigeria’s Extradition Act.

Why the case matters

The case highlights growing international pressure on law enforcement agencies to tackle cyber-enabled financial crimes, particularly romance scams that increasingly target vulnerable internet users worldwide.

Cybersecurity analysts say romance fraud remains one of the most financially damaging online crimes globally because it combines emotional manipulation with financial deception.

Experts also note that cross-border cooperation between agencies such as INTERPOL and national police forces has become critical in tracking suspects who move across multiple countries.

For Nigeria, the extradition may also be viewed as part of broader efforts to improve international confidence in the country’s anti-cybercrime enforcement systems.

Industry and public reaction

Anti-fraud advocates have repeatedly warned social media and dating app users to verify identities before sending money online.

Financial crime experts say criminals increasingly exploit emotional trust built through online relationships, making romance scams difficult to detect in early stages.

Some observers believe the case could encourage stronger collaboration between Nigerian authorities and international partners in combating transnational organised crime.

What happens next?

US prosecutors are expected to proceed with criminal charges relating to wire fraud, online romance scams, and financial crimes.

If convicted in the United States, the suspect could face significant prison time and financial penalties under US federal law.

The Nigeria Police Force said it would continue working with international partners to tackle cybercrime and financial fraud networks operating across borders.

A two-year-old child allegedly abducted in Delta State has been rescued by police in Warri after residents intercepted a suspect carrying the child inside a sack bag at a busy market.

The rescue operation, carried out by the Delta State Police Command’s Quick Response Squad (QRS), also led to the arrest of a 29-year-old suspect identified as Fejiro Obaduemu.

Police said the child was reunited with the parents following investigations that traced the family less than 24 hours after the incident.

How the child was rescued

According to the Delta State Police Command, the incident happened on 10 May 2026 at about 9:15am at Igbudu Market in Warri.

Residents reportedly became suspicious after seeing the suspect carrying a sack bag believed to contain the child. The crowd allegedly accused him of child theft and attempted to lynch him before police officers arrived.

Operatives of the QRS intervened, rescued both the suspect and the child, and moved them to safety.

Police spokesperson SP Bright Edafe said the suspect sustained injuries during the mob attack and was taken to the Police Clinic in Warri for treatment before being detained for questioning.

Investigators later traced the child’s parents and formally reunited the toddler with the family on 11 May in the presence of leaders of the Hausa community in Warri.

Police launch wider child trafficking investigation

The Delta State Police Command said the arrest forms part of a broader crackdown on child trafficking and child-stealing networks operating in parts of the state.

Preliminary investigations, according to police, suggest the suspect may not have acted alone.

Police said the suspect allegedly confessed that he was sent by another unidentified individual in Warri to steal the child.

Authorities say efforts are ongoing to arrest other suspected members of the network and dismantle criminal operations linked to child trafficking.

Why the case matters

Cases involving missing children and alleged trafficking have become a growing concern in several Nigerian states, with rights groups repeatedly calling for stronger child protection systems and faster police response mechanisms.

Security analysts say public vigilance has increasingly played a role in preventing kidnappings and child theft, especially in crowded urban areas and markets.

However, experts also warn against mob justice, noting that suspects should be handed over to law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution.

The Delta State Police Command said the swift response by officers prevented a possible lynching at the market.

Commissioner urges public vigilance

The Commissioner of Police in Delta State, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, assured residents that the command would continue efforts to tackle human trafficking and related crimes.

He urged members of the public to promptly report suspicious movements involving children to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency line: 08036684974.

Police also appealed for cooperation from community leaders and residents to help identify trafficking syndicates operating within the state.

What’s next?

Investigations are continuing as police work to identify and arrest other suspects connected to the alleged abduction attempt.

Authorities are also expected to intensify surveillance and intelligence gathering in areas identified as vulnerable to child trafficking activities.

Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, says it has intercepted a shipment of high-potency cannabis worth more than N10.4bn at the Tincan Island Port in Lagos, in what officials describe as one of the country’s largest recent drug seizures.

The agency said operatives recovered 4,173.5 kilograms of “Canadian Loud”, a synthetic strain of cannabis, hidden inside imported vehicles packed in a shipping container that arrived from Canada through Morocco.

Officials said the shipment had an estimated street value of N10,433,750,000.

Why the seizure matters

The interception highlights growing concerns among Nigerian authorities over international drug trafficking networks using the country’s ports to smuggle synthetic narcotics into the local market.

According to the NDLEA, the container left Toronto, Canada, on 28 March before being moved by rail to Montreal and later shipped through Morocco to Lagos.

The agency said the operation followed more than two months of intelligence gathering and surveillance involving local and international security partners.

The seizure also comes days after another major operation in Lagos, where NDLEA officers raided a mansion in Lekki allegedly used as a drug stash house and recovered 2,326 kilograms of the same substance valued at over N5.8bn.

International cooperation behind operation

NDLEA said the operation was carried out in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service and international partners including the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the UK Home Office International Operations, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The drugs were reportedly concealed inside a used Ford bus and a Mercedes-Benz C300 vehicle shipped within the container.

Speaking during the handover of the seized items in Lagos on Wednesday, NDLEA Director of Seaports Operations, ACG Ibinabo ArchieAbia, said the operation demonstrated the value of intelligence-sharing and inter-agency cooperation.

“The achievement once again demonstrates the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation, international collaboration, and intelligence-driven operations in combating transnational organized crime and illicit drug trafficking.”

Marwa warns international drug syndicates

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, praised officers involved in the operation and warned international trafficking groups targeting Nigeria.

He said the recent seizures suggested a coordinated attempt to flood the Nigerian market with synthetic cannabis products.

“This second massive seizure in less than a week is a clear message to the international syndicates who think they can use our ports as entry points for their soul-destroying trade, that the synergy between NDLEA and Customs Service as well as other security agencies and our international partners like the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, the UK-HOIO and the US DEA is yielding fantastic results.”

“We will not rest until every link in this supply chain is broken and those behind these shipments are brought to justice,” Marwa added.

Growing concerns over synthetic cannabis

Security analysts and public health advocates have repeatedly warned about the rise in synthetic cannabis use among young people in Nigeria, particularly in urban centres.

Experts say the substances are often more potent than natural cannabis and can pose serious mental and physical health risks.

The latest seizure is likely to renew debate about border security, port surveillance, and the increasing sophistication of transnational drug trafficking operations targeting West Africa.

What happens next?

NDLEA officials say investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest those linked to the shipment.

Authorities are also expected to intensify monitoring at Nigeria’s seaports following the back-to-back interceptions.

The agency says it will continue working with international partners to dismantle drug supply networks operating across multiple countries.