The Nigeria Police Force has verified that the victim in the Cayman Islands will receive the $23,000 that was retrieved from a Nigerian guy who was charged with running a global online romance fraud.
Benjamin Hundeyin, a police spokesperson, said in a statement released on Friday that the INTERPOL National Central Bureau, NCB, Abuja, had recovered the money.
The recovery came after the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service formally requested Nigeria’s help in investigating the actions of a guy named Achufusi Obioma Ikenna.
According to Hundeyin, Ikenna was apprehended and the stolen money was recovered as a result of secret, intelligence-driven investigations conducted by INTERPOL NCB Abuja agents.
He stated that the funds were formally transferred to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service via the British High Commission in Abuja, represented by Mr. Shaun McLeary, for subsequent transfer to the victim following the completion of all necessary legal and administrative procedures.
Police say that after the continuing investigations are finished, Ikenna will face charges in court.
The Nigeria Police Force’s dedication to intelligence-led policing, robust international collaboration, and the dismantling of cross-border cybercrime activities is further demonstrated by the successful collection and repatriation of the monies, according to the Force Public Relations Officer.
In line with the law and global best practices, the Force is “steadfast in ensuring that proceeds of crime are traced, recovered, and returned to victims, while perpetrators are identified and brought to justice,” the statement read.