The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, a newly elected chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Nigeria, on charges connected to an alleged romance fraud scheme worth over $3.3 million.

The arrest occurred when Nwadialo, 40, arrived at a Texas airport from Nigeria.

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Nwadialo was indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington in December 2023, where he faces 14 counts of wire fraud.

The indictment accuses him of posing as a romantic partner, claiming to be a U.S. military member deployed overseas to gain trust and deceive multiple victims out of millions of dollars.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, Nwadialo allegedly posed as a deployed U.S. military officer under various aliases, including “Giovanni,” to defraud victims he met on dating websites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café.

By presenting himself as a distant yet attentive romantic partner, he persuaded his victims to wire him large sums, often citing urgent military fines, family tragedies, or other fabricated financial needs.

U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman noted the challenges posed by prosecuting overseas romance scams, acknowledging the tenacity required to secure Nwadialo’s arrest.

“All too often, the defendants in these romance scams are overseas and unreachable by U.S. law enforcement,” she stated, commending investigators for their persistence.

The indictment outlines multiple cases of alleged fraud. In one instance, Nwadialo reportedly convinced a victim to transfer $2.4 million, citing a fictitious $150,000 military fine for disclosing his location.

In another case, a victim transferred $330,000, believing she was helping him manage finances related to his father’s death.

Additional victims reportedly lost hundreds of thousands, persuaded to invest in cryptocurrency accounts Nwadialo claimed to manage or to cover supposed family expenses.

The charges, which remain allegations at this stage, carry a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud.

Gorman emphasized that Nwadialo, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The FBI is leading the investigation, with Assistant United States Attorney Sok Jiang prosecuting the case.

A deadly attack took place on Thursday evening at a quarry in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, leaving a Police Inspector dead and three individuals abducted, including two Chinese nationals.

The Police Public Relations Officer for Zone 6, SP Nelson Okpabi, confirmed the incident in a statement released in Calabar on Friday.

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According to Okpabi, the assailants, disguised in military camouflage, stormed the quarry, killing the officer and seizing his AK-47 rifle.

The attackers reportedly gained access to the facility due to an accidental security breach at the gate, allowing them to overpower site security.

During the raid, they abducted two Chinese nationals along with a Nigerian worker.

Following the attack, the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Zone 6, Jonathan Towuru, has ordered an intensive search for the assailants.

Authorities are urging members of the public to remain vigilant and report any information that could aid in tracking down the perpetrators.

A suspected thief was mobbed to death on Wednesday after allegedly attempting to rob a church in Makurdi, Benue State.

According to eyewitnesses, the deceased and two accomplices broke into an office at a church near Modern Market, making off with valuables.

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As the suspects tried to flee, residents in the area, who had been alerted by a local girl who witnessed the break-in, gave chase.

Two of the suspects managed to escape, but the third was caught by the mob.

One eyewitness described the scene, saying, “A girl going to a nearby church saw the three men entering and raised the alarm. We immediately ran after them, and while two managed to escape, the third wasn’t so lucky. He was caught and beaten to death.”

The police were called to the scene and later removed the body, which was transported to a morgue.

However, local authorities have not confirmed the theft, as no formal complaint has been lodged by the church.

Benue State Police Command’s Assistant Public Relations Officer, Harry Ekwo, stated that it remains unclear whether the deceased was involved in any criminal activity, noting, “We have yet to receive a formal report regarding a theft at the church, but we are investigating the incident.”

This is the latest in a series of theft-related incidents in the area, and while the police are yet to confirm the details, the incident highlights the growing concerns over security in Makurdi.