Lagos nude photo blackmail syndicate busted after N10m ransom demand

By Deborah Akpede

Three suspects allegedly involved cyber blackmail and extortion scheme involving threats to release nude photographs have been arrested after they demanded N10 million from one of their victims.

The suspects, two males and a female, were apprehended after a petition to the police by the victim who alleged that she was being repeatedly threatened by unknown individuals demanding money, Lagos Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) spokesperson, DSP Ovie Ewhubare, said in a statement on Friday.

According to the statement, the victim received several phone calls in which the callers threatened to release her nude photographs to the public if she failed to pay them.

The victims, out of fear and emotional distress transferred money to the suspects.

“The situation escalated when the suspects demanded an additional N10 million prompting her to formally petition the police,” he said

Ewhubare said that upon receipt of the complaint, the Commissioner of Police, PSFU, Mr Kayode Ojapinwa, ordered the immediate deployment of operatives to investigate the matter.

“The investigation led to the arrest of the three suspects.

“Investigations revealed that one of the suspects, gained unlawful access to the complainant’s mobile device and fraudulently transferred her nude photographs to his own device.

“Further findings indicated that he conspired with the other suspects and other accomplices currently at large to demand and receive money from the complainant in several tranches, ” he said

According to him, the suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.

The image maker said that investigations were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate and to recover all proceeds of the alleged crime.

The spokesperson said that CP Ojapinwa reaffirmed the PSFU’s commitment to tackling cybercrime and urged the public to protect their personal data.

“Ojapinwa reiterates the Unit’s commitment to combating cyber-enabled crimes and protecting citizens from exploitation.

“He also advised the public to safeguard their personal data, exercise caution when using digital devices, and promptly report any form of harassment or cybercrime to the police, ” Ewhubare said. (NAN)
DOA/YMU

Edited by Yakubu Uba