The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has facilitated the extradition of two Nigerians, Mudashiru Afeez Olawale and Adebola Festus Adekunle, to the United States to face prosecution over alleged sexual extortion of two teenage boys.
The EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 facilitated the extradition of the duo on Wednesday, Aug. 26, following investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) into separate sextortion schemes targeting male minors in the U.S.
According to the commission, the alleged schemes targeted boys, particularly those between the ages of 13 and 17, and resulted in the deaths of two minors.
The EFCC said the schemes involved the use of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) to extort victims for money through various channels, including money remitters, gift cards and cryptocurrency.
It said the FBI investigations linked the alleged perpetrators to two separate cases involving American minors who died by suicide after being subjected to online sexual exploitation and extortion.
“In one of the cases, a 13-year-old male victim received a direct message on Instagram from a subject who suggested an exchange of nude photographs,” the EFCC said.
The commission said investigations by the FBI revealed that the subject subsequently threatened to disseminate the minor’s photographs to his Instagram contacts and demanded money from him.
It added that communications reportedly continued despite the minor indicating that he intended to take his own life.
“The FBI subsequently developed actionable intelligence identifying individuals allegedly involved in the scheme and requested the assistance of the EFCC in identifying, investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators under applicable Nigerian laws,” it said.
The commission said following its investigations, Adekunle was arrested and brought before it.
In a related case, the EFCC said the FBI had sought the extradition of Olawale over a seven-count charge.
The charges include “sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death, enticement and attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, interstate threatening communications, sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, and distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography.”
The EFCC said it subsequently initiated extradition proceedings against Olawale at the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/353/2024, before Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa, following a request by the FBI.
It said although the judge refused the application during proceedings on June 10, 2024, the ruling was appealed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
“On July 7, 2026, the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, in Appeal No. CA/LAG/CV/721/2024, set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court, thereby paving the way for Olawale’s extradition to the U.S.,” the EFCC said.
The commission said the extradition of Olawale and Adekunle underscored the continued collaboration between the EFCC and the FBI in tackling transnational financial crimes.
It said the collaboration was particularly important in addressing internet-enabled crimes involving the exploitation of minors and sextortion.
