The Kwara State Police Command says it has arrested one Awoleye Oluwatofunmi, who duped an American lady, Vonapolouis Moss, of $1,000 and lured her to Nigeria.
Parading the suspect at the command headquarters in Ilorin on Friday, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Paul Odama, said the suspect posed as an American, Howard Adams, on TikTok to defraud the victim.
The commissioner said that the 23-year-old suspected internet fraudster later lured the victim into flying into Nigeria on January 9, 2023, through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
He added that Moss of 2962, W 64th Court, Merrillville, Indiana 46410, USA, flew into Ilorin the next day and was received by the suspect before he was arrested based on actionable intelligence.
Odama disclosed that the suspect also deceitfully took an unspecified amount of dollars from the victim before she was rescued by police operatives.
On how she met the suspect, Moss said, “We met on social media and he invited me to visit Nigeria but when I came, he took me to the bureau de change to change money to Nigeria currency and he also took me to ShopRite.
“When the money on me finished, he told me to tell my people to send more money.”
The foreigner said that she liked Nigeria but would like to return to the United States.
According to the commissioner, necessary authorities have been contacted for appropriate action.
He added that the victim has been moved into secure custody by the Kwara State Police Command, pending her return to the US.
Odama stressed that the command would continue to discharge its duties with a full sense of responsibility and be willing at all times to respect the rights of every citizen.