Romance scams suspect falls in Kano sting
A man accused of running a romance scam and sextortion scheme has been arrested in Kano after allegedly swindling victims out of millions of naira and thousands of dollars.
Police say Abdulwajeed Abdullahi, who posed online as Captain Junaid, was taken into custody on 4 August 2026 at his home in Kano State. His arrest followed a complaint from a woman who claimed he threatened to leak her nude photographs unless she paid him US$3,000.
Nkereuwem Effiong
A man accused of running a romance scam and sextortion scheme has been arrested in Kano after allegedly swindling victims out of millions of naira and thousands of dollars.
Police say Abdulwajeed Abdullahi, who posed online as Captain Junaid, was taken into custody on 4 August 2026 at his home in Kano State. His arrest followed a complaint from a woman who claimed he threatened to leak her nude photographs unless she paid him US$3,000.
According to the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, Abdullahi first approached the woman on TikTok in June, later moving their conversations to WhatsApp.
He allegedly cultivated a fake romantic relationship, persuaded her to share intimate images, and then attempted to blackmail her.
Investigators say the suspect’s digital trail led to other victims. One reported losing ₦3.5 million, while another in Bauchi State allegedly handed over US$1,500 in a bogus foreign exchange deal.
Police used open-source intelligence to trace the man behind the Captain Junaid persona. A forensic sweep of his devices reportedly uncovered compromising images of multiple women, forged certificates, and identity cards bearing his photo under different names.
During interrogation, Abdullahi allegedly admitted to launching his scam operation in January 2026, impersonating a Saudi pilot to lend credibility to his online persona. He also confessed to sourcing some of the stolen images from Telegram groups. Authorities say the case highlights the growing sophistication of online fraudsters and warn the public to be cautious when engaging with strangers on social media.
