By Ochiaka Ugwu
Two Nigerian nationals extradited from Nigeria to the United States will face sextortion charges in North Carolina and Mississippi, the United States Department of Justice
In a statement released on Monday in Washington, the Department of Justice noted that two Nigerian nationals extradited from Nigeria to the United States would face sextortion charges in North Carolina and Mississippi.
According to the statement: “The Justice Department announced today that two Nigerian men have been extradited to the United States from Nigeria to face prosecution in two separate cases for the financially-motivated sextortion of minors that resulted in the death of teenagers in both the Northern District of Mississippi and the Middle District of North Carolina.
“The defendants were arrested in Nigeria as part of a wider operation with the FBI to apprehend sexual extortionists targeting minors in the United States.
“The Department of Justice and this Administration have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to protecting America’s children from exploitation and sexual abuse.
“We have strengthened our international law enforcement partnerships to dismantle the foreign criminal networks behind financially-motivated sextortion and identify and prosecute the perpetrators of child sexual exploitation who are directly linked to dozens of American teen deaths by suicide.”
“Today’s announcement represents two more high value targets returned to the U.S. by the FBI through Foreign Transfers of Custody,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
“Two Nigerian subjects arrested in Nigeria in 2023 Adebola Festus Adekunle and Mudasiru Afeez Olawale have now been returned to the United States to face justice after allegedly participating in financially-motivated sextortion of minors, one resulting in the death of a child.
“Adekunle is charged with the sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death, the production of child sexual abuse material, coercion and enticement of a minor, and interstate threats with intent to extort; Olawale is charged with offenses relating to sexual exploitation of minors, coercion and enticement of minors, distribution of child pornography, and more.
“They’ve been overseas for three years, but the FBI and our DOJ partners went and got them. Sextortion is a heinous crime targeting innocent people, often young children, and the FBI will stop at nothing to pursue every single individual who harms vulnerable Americans.
“Several weeks ago we announced an undercover operation dealing with child exploitation, which resulted in 70 arrests,” said U.S. Attorney Scott Leary for the Northern District of Mississippi.
“Unfortunately, here we are again in an unrelated child victimization case.
“This time a child died. The dedication involved in this case cannot be overstated.
“This tragedy was immediately investigated by the Mississippi Attorney General, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, the Starkville Police Department, and the FBI.
“The evidence led agents to Nigeria. Undeterred, the FBI worked with DOJ’s Office of International Affairs for years, and eventually the defendant was extradited from Nigeria to face justice in the United States.
“We are thankful for the hard work of Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice. Working together, state, federal, and international agencies brought us here today.
“Today’s announcement makes clear that we will not rest in our pursuit of justice for victims of sextortion: Three years after the indictment, and almost five years since the conduct occurred, the defendant will finally appear in a U.S. court to face the charges against him,” the statement added.
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