The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has extradited two Nigerians, Mudashiru Olawale and Adebola Adekunle, to the United States to face prosecution over alleged online sexual exploitation and sextortion of two teenage boys who later died by suicide.
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC handed the two suspects over to US authorities on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, following separate investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation into sextortion operations targeting male minors.
According to a statement released by the commission on Friday, the victims, aged between 13 and 17, were allegedly coerced through online platforms and subjected to demands for money after their nude images were obtained.
“The schemes involved the use of Child Sexual Abuse Material, CSAM, to extort victims for money through various means, including money remitters, gift cards and cryptocurrency.
“The FBI investigations linked the activities of the alleged perpetrators to two separate cases involving American minors, who died by suicide after being subjected to online sexual exploitation and extortion.
“In one of the cases, a 13-year-old male victim received a direct message on Instagram from a subject who suggested an exchange of nude photographs. Investigations by the FBI revealed that the subject subsequently threatened to disseminate the minor’s photographs to his Instagram contacts and demanded money from him.
“It was further revealed that communications reportedly continued despite the minor indicating that he intended to take his own life. The FBI subsequently developed actionable intelligence identifying individuals allegedly involved in the scheme and requested the assistance of the EFCC in identifying, investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators under applicable Nigerian laws,” the statement said.
The EFCC said its investigation led to the arrest of Adekunle, who was subsequently brought before the commission for further proceedings.
The commission said the FBI also requested the extradition of Olawale, who was wanted in connection with a seven-count indictment.
The charges include “sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death, enticement and attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, interstate threatening communications, sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, and distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography.”
Following the US request, the EFCC commenced extradition proceedings against Olawale before the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/353/2024.
The case was heard before Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa. The Federal High Court initially rejected the extradition application on June 10, 2024, prompting the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
However, on July 7, 2026, the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos overturned the Federal High Court’s ruling in Appeal No. CA/LAG/CV/721/2024, clearing the way for Olawale to be extradited to the US.
The EFCC said the handover of both suspects demonstrates the growing cooperation between Nigerian and US law enforcement agencies in tackling crimes that cross national borders.
“The extradition of Olawale and Adekunle underscores the continued collaboration between the EFCC and the FBI in tackling transnational financial crimes, particularly internet-enabled crimes involving the exploitation of minors and sextortion,” it added.
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