The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested a mother and her daughter over their alleged involvement in a romance scam that reportedly defrauded a Malta-based victim of more than ₦18 million.
The suspects, identified as 39-year-old Urowhe Diana and her 22-year-old daughter, Rokibat Oluwasheyi Imoru, were apprehended following an intelligence report received from the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
According to police authorities, investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly collaborated with a Lagos-based man identified as Emmanuel Amanfo, who is currently at large, to carry out the cyber fraud operation.
Preliminary findings by investigators showed that the suspects allegedly used multiple bank accounts to receive fraudulent funds from the foreign victim through money transfer operators. The funds were reportedly paid into bank accounts operated by Rokibat before being transferred into an Ecobank account belonging to her mother.
Police sources disclosed that the money was allegedly spent shortly after it was received, while digital forensic investigations linked the suspects to the online romance scam activities.
The Malta-based victim was reportedly deceived through online emotional manipulation, a method commonly used by cybercriminals to gain the trust of victims before demanding money under false pretences.
Authorities also revealed that Emmanuel Amanfo, who is believed to be the husband of Urowhe Diana and stepfather of Rokibat, remains on the run, while efforts are ongoing to track and arrest him.
The Nigeria Police Force stated that the suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
