The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially extradited two Nigerian nationals to the United States to face federal charges regarding their alleged involvement in an international online sexual exploitation and sextortion syndicate. The targets of the scheme included two American teenage boys who tragically died by suicide following the intense psychological distress caused by the digital extortion. The suspects, identified as Mudashiru Afeez Olawale and Adebola Festus Adekunle, were handed over to U.S. law enforcement authorities on Wednesday.

Their extradition is the direct result of separate, extensive investigations conducted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) into coordinated sextortion rings operating out of Nigeria. These illicit networks specifically targeted male minors across the U.S., leveraging compromised digital assets to blackmail the victims into compliance before the interventions of the FBI and the EFCC led to the suspects’ tracking and subsequent arrest.

In an official statement released on Friday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale provided details regarding a series of extortion cases. He stated that victims were allegedly targeted with threats involving the distribution of sensitive personal media unless financial demands were met. To facilitate these transactions, the perpetrators reportedly utilized various channels to collect funds, including money transfer services, gift cards, and cryptocurrency platforms.

One documented case involved a 13-year-old boy who was contacted through social media. Following the initial contact, the minor was allegedly pressured into an exchange of sensitive photographs, which were subsequently used as leverage for extortion. The suspect reportedly threatened to share the media with the youth’s social contacts unless a payment was made.

The communication allegedly continued even after the victim indicated that he intended to take his own life.

Following the development, the FBI reportedly gathered intelligence on individuals allegedly involved in the scheme and sought the assistance of the EFCC to identify and investigate suspects in Nigeria.

Adekunle was subsequently arrested and extradited to the US.

The EFCC spokesperson said Olawale’s case followed a separate FBI investigation in which US authorities sought his extradition over a seven-count charge.

The charges include alleged sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death, enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, interstate threatening communications and distribution of child pornography.

The EFCC commenced extradition proceedings against Olawale at the Federal High Court in Lagos in a case marked FHC/L/CS/353/2024.

Oyewale said Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, who presided over the matter, refused the extradition application 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, set aside the Federal High Court judgment, clearing the way for Olawale’s extradition.

The EFCC said the two suspects were extradited by its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 as part of its collaboration with the FBI in combating transnational crimes.