The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has extradited two Nigerian men to the United States over allegations of online sexual exploitation and sextortion involving two teenage boys who later died by suicide.
The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying Mudashiru Afeez Olawale and Adebola Festus Adekunle were extradited on Wednesday.
According to Oyewale, investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) allegedly connected the two men to separate sextortion schemes targeting male minors in the US.
He said the victims were allegedly threatened with the release of nude photographs and extorted for 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 persuaded to exchange nude photographs.
The FBI investigation allegedly established that the suspect later threatened to send the boy’s photographs to his Instagram contacts unless he paid money.
Oyewale said the communication reportedly continued even after the boy told the suspect that he was considering taking his own life.
Following the development, the FBI reportedly gathered intelligence on people allegedly connected to the scheme 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 reportedly 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 then initiated 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 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 spokesperson said both men were extradited by the commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 as part of its collaboration with the FBI in tackling transnational crimes.
He added that the cases further demonstrate cooperation between Nigerian and US authorities in combating internet-enabled crimes involving the sexual exploitation and sextortion of minors.