US, Nigeria step up war against sextortion, romance scams

The United States and Nigeria have stepped up their fight against sextortion, romance scams, and other cybercrimes that span national borders. Both nations are working to improve intelligence sharing, investigations, and prosecutions of offenders. This was announced after a visit by the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Michael Gonzales, to Nigeria.

During his meetings with senior officials from various Nigerian agencies, Gonzales emphasized the need for international cooperation to keep pace with the rapidly evolving tactics of cybercriminals. He cited recent successful extraditions of alleged cybercriminals to the US as proof that national boundaries no longer protect criminals from justice.

The countries have been increasing their joint operations against financially motivated sextortion and romance scams, which have been on the rise. According to the US Embassy, reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children have reached over 50,000 cases in 2025, representing approximately 137 reports per day. These crimes are often targeted at young people and their families.

Both countries have also been tackling romance scams, which exploit victims' trust and financial resources. The Nigeria Police Force's National Cybercrime Centre has launched a nationwide awareness campaign to educate the public about these threats. Gonzales praised Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its strong record in prosecuting cybercrimes and its cooperation with the US in extraditions.

He called for faster, more proactive law enforcement efforts to dismantle criminal networks rather than focusing solely on individual suspects. The partnership between the two nations aims to expand efforts to target the financial infrastructure of cybercrime while improving Nigerian institutions' investigative, prosecutorial, and cybercrime-reporting capabilities.