Police Rescue American Woman Held for 17 Months in Lagos Hotel by Facebook Lover who Duped Her of $48,000

Matilda Omonaiye/

An American woman lured to Nigeria with the promise of marriage by a suspected internet fraudster, Chukwuebuka Obiaku, has been rescued by the police.

According to the police, the suspect, whom she met on Facebook, also extorted the victim of $48,000.

Police spokesman, Frank Mba, said the woman was rescued in an unnamed hotel in Lagos, after being confined for about 17 months.

Mba stated: “Police operatives have successfully rescued an American citizen who was confined in a Lagos Hotel where she was held against her wish for over a year.

“The victim, a retired civil servant from Washington DC, USA, reportedly arrived in Nigeria on February 13, 2019, to visit Obiaku, a native of Ikeduru LGA of Imo State.

“She was however rescued by Police operatives attached to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Ogun State Annex following information received from a patriotic and civic-minded Nigerian in the Meiran area of Lagos State.

“The rescue of the American lady is coming on the heels of a similar case of an abducted Filipino lady who was lured to Nigeria by her supposed lover whom she equally met on Facebook.”

Police said investigations revealed that Obiaku, a graduate of Business Administration and Management, “is an internet fraudster who has defrauded many people locally and internationally”.

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