The arrest occurred on August 4, 2026, in Kano State, after a female victim reported him, stating he had manipulated her into a romantic relationship and demanded $3,000. The police director, AIG Akaninyene Ezima, confirmed that Abdullahi operated under the pseudonym “Captain Junaid,” initially connecting with victims on TikTok before transferring conversations to WhatsApp. Following the investigation, additional victims were identified, with one losing N3.5 million under similar circumstances, while another was exploited through a false foreign exchange trading scheme.
Forensic analysis of Abdullahi’s seized devices uncovered intimate images and videos belonging to several women, as well as forged academic credentials. Abdullahi admitted during interrogation that he began his scamming activities in January 2026, successfully obtaining large sums from multiple victims. His identity was reportedly based on the likeness of a Saudi pilot, and many of the inappropriate materials used for manipulation were sourced from Telegram groups.
In a separate case, David Temitope was arrested in Lagos for a sophisticated Business Email Compromise scheme, yielding over 12.5 million victim email logs from over 50 countries. The operation, involving phishing kits to compromise corporate emails, reportedly netted him over N100 million and led to the recovery of a Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC 43 linked to his criminal gains.
Furthermore, Kelechi Sistus Ihekaire, owner of Kestart Technology, was arrested for international cyber-enabled investment fraud and money laundering after victims reported losses of N56.29 million from a WhatsApp stock trading platform. Investigations traced suspicious financial activities totaling N3.62 billion through Kestart Technology’s accounts, with implicated conversion to Tether (USDT) stablecoins via Bybit transactions.
The police are pursuing legal actions to forfeit the company’s assets for victim restitution. Other arrests involved Emeka Egba Anthony and Ogboji Solomon Emeka for identity theft linked to stolen SIM cards, and Babatunde Olamilekan Idowu for impersonating police officers to defraud victims. AIG Ezima emphasized the need for public vigilance against impersonation and the police’s commitment to enhancing their capabilities to combat cybercrime.
