The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has brought two Nigerian nationals to the United States to face charges over alleged sextortion and sexual exploitation offences involving minors.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced that Adebola Festus Adekunle and Mudasiru Afeez Olawale, who were arrested in Nigeria in 2023, had been returned to the United States after spending about three years overseas.
The suspects are facing allegations including sexual exploitation of minors, coercion and enticement, extortion, and the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material, among other offences.
According to the FBI, one of the alleged sextortion schemes resulted in the death of a child.
The agency said the two men are now in U.S. custody and will face the charges against them before the appropriate courts.
Patel said the FBI’s action was aimed at ensuring that individuals accused of serious crimes against children do not evade justice by remaining outside the United States.
The arrests and transfer of the suspects highlight continued cooperation between U.S. and Nigerian authorities in tackling cross-border cybercrime and crimes involving the sexual exploitation of minors.
The allegations against Adekunle and Olawale remain subject to judicial proceedings, and they are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
