The United States and Nigeria have intensified cooperation to combat sextortion, romance scams and other transnational cybercrimes, with plans to strengthen intelligence sharing, joint investigations and prosecution of offenders.

The renewed commitment followed a visit to Abuja by the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Michael Gonzales, who held meetings with senior officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Office of the National Security Adviser, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Nigeria Police Force.

In a statement issued by the US Embassy in Abuja on Monday, the embassy said the discussions coincided with Nigeria’s Cybercrime Awareness Week and focused on expanding joint operations against financially motivated sextortion, romance scams and other cyber-enabled crimes.

Gonzales stressed the importance of international cooperation in tackling cybercriminals whose activities frequently cross national borders.

He said recent extraditions demonstrated that offenders could not rely on international boundaries to escape justice when countries combined their investigative, diplomatic and law enforcement capabilities.

The statement disclosed that Nigeria extradited two alleged cybercriminals to the United States in August. The suspects face charges in separate financially motivated sextortion cases involving American minors who died by suicide.

It added that the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Legal Attaché Office at the US Embassy in Abuja had worked with the EFCC on 41 extraditions since 2022, including five completed in 2026.

The figure represents a significant increase compared with the period between 2012 and 2021, when the two countries recorded four arrests and five extraditions.

Gonzales commended the EFCC, the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation for their support in investigations and extradition proceedings involving suspects wanted in the United States.

He also emphasised the need for swift and visible law enforcement action to hold offenders accountable and discourage others from targeting victims.

Highlighting the impact of financially motivated sextortion on young people and their families, the embassy said the US-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received more than 50,000 reports of the crime in 2025.

According to the statement, this translates to approximately 137 reports daily.

The statement added that the FBI had identified Nigeria and other parts of West Africa, alongside Southeast Asia, as locations where some of the most prevalent sextortion networks had operated.

Through Operation Artemis and related initiatives, the FBI works with Nigerian authorities to identify and disrupt criminal networks targeting Americans.

The two countries are also strengthening efforts to tackle romance scams, which exploit victims’ trust and emotional relationships to defraud them of their savings and retirement funds.

In a related development, the Nigeria Police Force’s National Cybercrime Centre launched a nationwide online safety and cyber-hygiene campaign in March to educate Nigerians about romance scams, sextortion, phishing, identity theft and business email compromise.

The campaign is part of broader efforts to improve public awareness and help individuals recognise and report online threats.

During his meeting with the EFCC, Gonzales described the commission as one of Africa’s most recognised economic crime enforcement agencies, citing its record of high-profile prosecutions, asset recovery and public engagement.

He also identified the EFCC’s partnership with the FBI as an example of effective international law enforcement cooperation.

According to the statement, the partnership has involved intelligence sharing, suspect identification, arrests and complex extradition proceedings, with some investigations requiring years of joint efforts.

However, Gonzales called for the process to become faster, more routine and proactive, with greater emphasis on dismantling entire criminal networks rather than pursuing individual suspects.

The embassy said both countries intended to expand efforts to target the financial infrastructure and facilitators behind cybercrime networks before more victims were harmed.

The next phase of cooperation is expected to prioritise stronger information sharing between US and Nigerian agencies, faster conversion of cyber and financial intelligence into investigations, wider public awareness of sextortion and romance scams, and improvements in Nigeria’s investigative, prosecutorial and cybercrime-reporting capabilities.

US authorities also stressed that the success of the partnership would not be measured solely by the number of programmes funded but by tangible outcomes, including victim protection, disruption of criminal networks, successful investigations and convictions, and stronger Nigerian institutions.

The statement added that the ultimate objective was to build sustainable law enforcement capacity that would protect the interests of both Nigerians and Americans.

The President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, has faulted the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over its handling of negotiations with the Federal Government, insisting that the TUC must be involved in discussions on salaries and allowances affecting Nigerian workers.

Osifo described the agreement on the N70,000 transport allowance recently approved by President Bola Tinubu as an aberration, arguing that the NLC lacked the authority to negotiate on behalf of the TUC without its participation or consultation.

The TUC president made the position known on Monday while appearing on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, amid the disagreement between the two labour centres over negotiations with the Federal Government.

He criticised the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, questioning his understanding of the labour movement’s responsibilities and the relationship between the two unions.

“I went to his office and told him that, ‘Ajaero, this is wrong!’ What you used JNC to do is fundamentally wrong!” he said.

The disagreement comes amid tensions between the two labour centres over the N70,000 transport allowance approved by the Federal Government for public servants, further highlighting differences over representation and collective bargaining within Nigeria’s organised labour movement.

The Senior Pastor of Victory Life Bible Church International, Apostle Lawrence Achudume, has criticised Nigeria’s societal values, warning that the celebration of questionable wealth and the growing perception of politics as a route to personal enrichment are discouraging creativity and entrepreneurship.

Achudume said the tendency to celebrate individuals who accumulate wealth through questionable political means, rather than hold them accountable, was undermining the country’s capacity to develop innovative businesses and nurture talented individuals.

He spoke during the thanksgiving service marking the 50th anniversary of the Ogun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

According to a statement issued by the church’s media office on Sunday, the cleric expressed concern that politics was increasingly being regarded as a shortcut to wealth instead of an opportunity to serve the public.

He argued that Nigeria needed more individuals willing to deploy their talents, ideas and creativity to address societal challenges, establish businesses and inspire others.

Achudume maintained that celebrating questionable sources of wealth could discourage hardworking and innovative people who were committed to building sustainable ventures through legitimate means.

The pastor also criticised what he described as the declining standard of societal values, particularly the promotion of indecent dressing and nudity under the guise of entertainment and fashion.

“They celebrate emptiness and call it showbiz. They celebrate nakedness and call it fashion,” he said.

He further expressed concern over the growing emphasis on social media popularity, observing that some individuals increasingly measured their relevance and influence by the number of followers they had online.

Achudume urged Nigerians to make responsible choices, resist negative societal influences and embrace values that promote purpose, creativity and meaningful contributions to national development.

On spirituality, the cleric advised Christians to establish a strong relationship with God before encountering difficult circumstances.

He noted that challenges were inevitable in different aspects of life, including business, marriage and careers, urging believers to remain steadfast in their faith when confronted with difficulties.

He cautioned Christians against abandoning their convictions or seeking questionable spiritual alternatives in their quest for solutions to life’s challenges.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State NUJ Chairman, Wale Olanrewaju, commended Achudume for his longstanding support for journalism and his contributions to society.

Olanrewaju described the cleric as a social crusader who had consistently used his platform to challenge government actions and draw attention to issues requiring urgent public intervention.

He said Achudume’s relationship with journalists and willingness to support the journalism profession had earned him the respect and affection of media practitioners.

The NUJ chairman added that the cleric’s contributions to public discourse extended beyond his religious responsibilities, describing him as a worthy recipient of the council’s recognition.

In recognition of his contributions to journalism and society, Achudume was presented with the Ogun NUJ Golden Jubilee Ambassador Award during the thanksgiving service held as part of activities marking the council’s 50th anniversary.