The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has extradited two Nigerian men to the United States over alleged online sexual exploitation and sextortion involving two teenage boys who later died by suicide.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, identifying the suspects as Mudashiru Afeez Olawale and Adebola Festus Adekunle. He said both men were extradited on Wednesday.
According to Oyewale, investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) allegedly linked the two men to separate sextortion schemes targeting male minors in the United States.
The suspects allegedly threatened their victims with the release of nude photographs and demanded money through various channels, including money-transfer services, gift cards and cryptocurrency.
One of the cases reportedly involved a 13-year-old boy who was contacted through Instagram and allegedly persuaded to exchange nude photographs.
The FBI investigation reportedly established that the suspect later threatened to send the boy’s photographs to his Instagram contacts unless he paid money. The communication allegedly continued even after the boy told the suspect that he was considering taking his own life.
Following the investigation, the FBI gathered intelligence on individuals allegedly connected to the schemes and requested assistance from the EFCC to identify and investigate the suspects under Nigerian law.
Adekunle was subsequently arrested and extradited to the US.
Olawale’s case arose from a separate FBI investigation. According to the EFCC, US authorities requested his extradition over a seven-count charge, including alleged sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death, enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity, interstate threatening communications and distribution of child pornography.
The EFCC initiated extradition proceedings against Olawale at the Federal High Court in Lagos in a case marked FHC/L/CS/353/2024.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, who presided over the case, rejected the extradition request on June 10, 2024.
The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation subsequently appealed the decision. On July 7, 2026, the Court of Appeal in Lagos, in appeal number CA/LAG/CV/721/2024, overturned the Federal High Court’s ruling, clearing the way for Olawale’s extradition.
The EFCC said both men were extradited by its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 as part of its collaboration with the FBI to combat transnational crimes.
The commission said the cases highlight the growing cooperation between Nigerian and US authorities in tackling internet-enabled crimes, particularly the sexual exploitation and sextortion of minors.
