Sextortion: U.S. Takes Two Nigerians Into Custody After 3-Year Manhunt

…Nigeria-U.S. cooperation delivers alleged child predators to American courts

By: Michael Mike

A three-year international manhunt for two Nigerian nationals accused of running financially motivated sextortion schemes against American minors has ended with their transfer from Nigeria to the United States, where they now face federal charges carrying potential life imprisonment.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Adebola Festus Adekunle, 26, and Mudasiru Afeez Olawale, 24, were extradited from Nigeria to the United States on August 27 after their arrests in Nigeria in August 2023 during an FBI operation targeting sextortion networks allegedly operating from the country.

The development represents a significant expansion of Nigeria-U.S. law-enforcement cooperation against transnational cyber-enabled crimes, particularly offences targeting children.

Adekunle, a Lagos resident, is accused of participating in the financially motivated sextortion of a Mississippi minor whose death followed the alleged exploitation. He is facing federal charges including sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death, production of child sexual abuse material, coercion and enticement of a minor, and interstate threats made with intent to extort.

Olawale is facing separate charges in North Carolina over the alleged sextortion of two minors, including a case involving the death of one victim.

The U.S. authorities said both suspects appeared before federal courts following their arrival in the country.

The allegations expose the increasingly international character of online child exploitation, where perpetrators can operate thousands of kilometres away from their victims while using digital platforms to threaten, manipulate and extort them.

The U.S. Justice Department said the two cases were products of Operation Artemis, an FBI surge targeting financially motivated sextortion rings operating from Nigeria.

As part of the operation, FBI personnel, analysts and forensic specialists were deployed to Nigeria to identify suspects and gather evidence against networks accused of targeting minors in the United States.

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the American government was determined to dismantle foreign criminal networks involved in financially motivated sextortion and prosecute those responsible for child exploitation.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the latest operation demonstrated the agency’s determination to pursue alleged perpetrators regardless of where they were located.

The suspects had remained outside the United States for about three years after their indictments, but U.S. investigators continued working with Nigerian authorities to secure their transfer.

The Justice Department acknowledged the critical role played by Nigerian authorities in the operation, particularly the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Justice’s International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The cooperation, according to U.S. authorities, ultimately enabled FBI personnel to travel to Nigeria and take the suspects into American custody.

The Mississippi investigation involved the FBI Jackson Field Office, its Violent Crimes Against Children Section and International Operations Division, as well as the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office.

The North Carolina case was investigated by FBI Charlotte’s Greensboro Resident Agency and the Surry County Sheriff’s Office.

The American authorities described sextortion as a crime capable of inflicting severe psychological and emotional damage on victims and their families.

The FBI has also linked financially motivated sextortion investigations to numerous American teenage deaths by suicide, prompting an intensified national and international campaign against the crime.

For Nigeria, the case highlights the growing importance of international cooperation in combating cyber-enabled criminal networks whose victims and financial targets are often located outside the country.

The extradition also sends a warning to suspected perpetrators that operating from another country may delay prosecution but does not necessarily prevent eventual transfer to the jurisdiction where alleged crimes occurred.

Adekunle and Olawale face maximum penalties of life imprisonment if convicted, while the sexual exploitation resulting in death charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years.

However, the U.S. Justice Department stressed that the charges against both men are allegations and that they remain presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Sextortion: U.S. Takes Two Nigerians Into Custody After 3-Year Manhunt

Army troops recover 97 rustled livestock, hand them over to owners in Kano

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the 1 Division, Nigerian Army, have recovered 97 rustled livestock from suspected terrorists in Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano State.

The operation was conducted at about 10:50 p.m. on Aug. 25, 2026, following a report of terrorist activities in Mai Nika Ward of the local government area.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the troops engaged the terrorists upon arrival, forcing them to flee and abandon 67 rustled livestock.

The troops subsequently conducted further exploitation of the area and recovered an additional 27 livestock.

The recovered animals, totalling 97, were later handed over to their owners in the presence of the Local Government Chairman and representatives of other security agencies.

The operation underscores ongoing efforts by security forces to protect rural communities, recover stolen property and deny criminal elements freedom of action across the 1 Division area of responsibility.

Army troops recover 97 rustled livestock, hand them over to owners in Kano

Troops Foil Armed Robbery Attack, Rescue Two Locals in Plateau

By Zagazola Makama

Troops of Sector 8, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), have foiled an attempted armed robbery attack along the Apel-Jipun road in Pushit District of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Zagazola gathered that the incident occurred on August 23, 2026, when troops responded to reports of gunshots allegedly fired by suspected armed robbers along the highway.

The troops swiftly mobilised to the area, forcing the gunmen to abandon their operation and flee into the surrounding area.

During the subsequent search of the location, the troops rescued two locals, identified as Samuel Dauda and Luka Daar, who were reportedly returning from Maraban on a motorcycle when they encountered the armed men.

Three empty cartridge cases of 7.62mm Special ammunition were recovered at the scene.

Following the incident, the troops intensified patrols along the highway and other strategic locations in the area to deter criminal elements and prevent further attacks on motorists and residents.

Security personnel have continued efforts to maintain security along the route and ensure the safety of commuters using the highway.

Troops Foil Armed Robbery Attack, Rescue Two Locals in Plateau