Lagos Police Arrest 26 Foreign Nationals After Alleged Online Romance Scam Triggers Kidnap Report

Lagos Police Arrest 26 Foreign Nationals After Alleged Online Romance Scam Triggers Kidnap Report

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 26 foreign nationals following an investigation into a purported kidnapping report filed by a Cameroonian woman who travelled to Nigeria to meet a man she had met through an online relationship.

The woman, identified as Delphine, 22, reportedly arrived in Nigeria on June 16 to meet a 39-year-old Chadian man with whom she had been involved in an online romantic relationship. However, upon arrival, she allegedly discovered that the man was married, prompting her to report to the police that she had been kidnapped.

According to police sources, the complaint was initially lodged at a police station within the jurisdiction of Area "N" Command, Ijede, Ikorodu. Following the report, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Tijani, directed that the matter be transferred from the Command Tactical Unit to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for a comprehensive investigation.

The case is being handled by the Diplomatic and Foreign Nationals Desk of the SCID under the direct supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the department, Mr. Dayo Akinbisehin.

A police source familiar with the investigation disclosed that officers immediately commenced efforts to verify the kidnapping allegation.

“The woman reported that she had been kidnapped, and the police responded swiftly by launching an investigation. However, further inquiries revealed that she had travelled from Cameroon to meet a man she met online and later discovered that he was already married,” the source said.

According to the source, the woman allegedly sought a means of returning to her country without informing the man and subsequently made claims suggesting she was being held against her will.

Acting on information gathered during the investigation, police operatives traced the location connected to the complaint and discovered several foreign nationals residing in an apartment.

The operation led to the arrest of 26 foreign nationals comprising 19 Chadians and seven Cameroonians, aged between 19 and 50 years, including four women.

Preliminary investigations reportedly indicated that the individuals were not victims of kidnapping but were allegedly involved in a networking business scheme linked to a company identified as Ignite.

Police sources further revealed that many of the suspects could not provide valid travel documents, while others were suspected to have entered Nigeria through irregular routes.

“There was nothing to suggest that they were being held against their will. Most of them came into Nigeria without passports or proper travel documentation,” the source disclosed.

The arrested foreigners are currently undergoing profiling and immigration-related checks as security agencies work to determine their legal status and establish whether any immigration or other laws have been violated.

Authorities said investigations are ongoing, adding that appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the inquiry.