Police arrest 24-year-old over N48.5million romance fraud
A 24-year-old suspect, Precious Onudhona, has been arrested by Lagos State Police Command over an alleged romance scam involving N48.5 million.
Penpushing reports that the suspect, said to be a native of Delta State, was arrested on February 2, 2026, while attempting to board a flight from Lagos to Asaba, Delta State, following what the police described as actionable intelligence.
The Airport Police Command Police Public Relations Officer Mohammed Adeola, confirmed this in a statement adding that the suspect was apprehended by operatives of the Anti-Fraud Unit in the course of the command’s sustained efforts to prevent criminal elements from exploiting the aviation environment.
“The Anti-Fraud Unit of the Airport Police Command has arrested a 24-year-old suspect in connection with a large-scale fraud amounting to N48,500,000, equivalent to approximately $35,000″, Adeola stated.
Penpushing further reports that he explained that preliminary investigations showed that the suspect became involved in fraudulent activities in 2023 after joining a syndicate that specialised in romance-related scams.
“Investigations revealed that the syndicate targeted unsuspecting victims through social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, using false identities and deceptive narratives to defraud them”, he added
Penpushing also reports that the police spokesperson disclosed that the suspect allegedly posed as “Travis Kevin,” whom he described as a white American medical doctor, to gain the trust of his victims.
“The suspect fraudulently created a fake banking domain with fictitious account balances, which he used to solicit funds from victims under the guise of repaying them within a short period’, the statement reads
Penpushing reports that the statement stated that the suspect claimed the funds were required for feeding and medical supplies after allegedly sustaining injuries in the line of duty, pointing out that the payments were received through cryptocurrency transactions.
The Commissioner of Police, Airport Police Command, Olufunke Ogunbode, in reaction to the development ordered a comprehensive investigation into the case,stressing that a thorough and detailed investigation must be conducted to ensure justice is served and that all other members of the fraud syndicate are identified and apprehended.
Penpushing further reports that Ogunbode reaffirmed the command’s stance against criminal activities within airport facilities, stressing that the aviation environment is a highly sensitive corridor that must not be exploited for unlawful activities.
Meanwhile, the statement added that the suspect would be transferred to the Interpol Section for further investigation and prosecution.
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