Indian authorities have arrested two Nigerians in separate incidents involving a romance scam and drug trafficking.
According to The Hindu on Friday, police in Bagalkot district arrested 47-year-old Nigerian, Oliver Okechukwu, for allegedly defrauding a woman of ₹5.5 lakh (about ₦9.5m) under the guise of marriage.
Bagalkot Superintendent of Police, Siddarth Goel, confirmed the arrest, stating that Okechukwu was apprehended by Bagalkot CEN police in Mumbai on Thursday.
Investigations revealed that Okechukwu, who lives in Shivaji Nagar Bonkode Ganv, Khairane Thane, Mumbai, used matrimonial websites to target women. He allegedly posed as “Satya Amit,” a London-based professional, and promised marriage to a divorcee from Ilkal, Karnataka.
The report said he convinced the woman to transfer money into a bank account after claiming customs officers had seized US dollars worth ₹1 crore from him at the airport about 18 months ago.
The victim later reported the case to the Bagalkot cybercrime police. Okechukwu was traced through PhonePe and Google Pay transactions, as well as CCTV footage from local shops. His arrest led to the recovery of four mobile phones, a laptop, and a passport.
In a separate case in Goa, the Crime Branch arrested another Nigerian, 38-year-old Ikechukwu Callistus, from his rented residence in Igrez Vaddo, Marna-Siolim, for alleged drug trafficking.
According to Digital Goa on Saturday, the team led by PI Manguesh Valvaikar seized 35.5 grams of cocaine, 4.4 grams of methamphetamine, and 2.3 grams of MDMA, with an estimated street value of ₹8.5 lakh (₦14.7m).
SP Crime, Rahul Gupta, IPS, confirmed the case, saying Callistus has been booked under the NDPS Act, while further investigation is being conducted by PSI Amin A. Naik.
These incidents add to growing concerns about Nigerians abroad being linked to fraud and drug-related crimes. Earlier this year, over 50 Nigerians were arrested in Ghana in a raid linked to suspected cybercrime, with similar complaints also reported in South Africa.
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