The Nigeria Police Force says it has opened steps to investigate allegations linking Nzube Henry Ikeji, a Nigerian socialite, to a $2.5 million romance and investment scam.
Director of the National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC), Ifeanyi Uche, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing, stressing that the matter would be handled thoroughly.
Uche said the police are already reviewing publicly available information and will engage the platform that published the investigation in order to gather verified details.
“This morning, I was able to summon my people for us to properly conduct an analysis of the facts that we have seen,” he said.
According to him, the police have not yet received a formal complaint or direct communication from the YouTuber behind the exposé, leaving authorities to rely on reports circulating in the media for now.
“We have not been contacted by the YouTuber so what we have on ground is just the information that is out there in the media,” Uche said.
He added that investigators are working to establish contact with the content creator to obtain clearer and more credible information.
“We are analysing it for us to do justice. We will try and see how we can link up with the YouTuber and see if we can get credible information,” he said.
Describing the allegations as weighty, Uche emphasized that the police would not ignore the case.
“It is a very serious issue and as you all know that the Nigeria Police Force cannot sweep it under the carpet. We will treat that seriously.”
Background
The allegation was detailed in an investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which traced the scheme to an online interaction that began about three years ago.
According to a documentary published by OCCRP, the Romanian woman, identified as Laura, was first contacted on LinkedIn by an account claiming to belong to the Dubai Crown Prince. The impersonator reportedly expressed interest in supporting a humanitarian project in Romania and proposed working with Laura on the initiative.
The investigation said their online exchanges later moved to other social media platforms and gradually developed into what Laura believed was a romantic relationship.
At some point, the impostor asked her to meet his supposed financial manager in London to help open an account with a British bank for the proposed investment.
During one of the meetings in London, Laura requested that a business partner discreetly take a photograph of the man introduced as the financial manager. She was later given login details to a bank account, where she saw what appeared to be a deposit of over £200,000. However, she later discovered that the account was cloned and the funds were fictitious.
When Laura attempted to withdraw part of the money, she received an email demanding that she pay a substantial fee before any funds could be released. Believing the investment was genuine, she transferred more than $2.5 million before becoming alarmed and seeking ways to recover her money.
OCCRP reported that cracks later emerged among Ikeji’s alleged accomplices over how to share the proceeds. Following the dispute, two of the partners reportedly contacted Laura and revealed details of the scam.
When she confronted the man posing as the Dubai Crown Prince, he allegedly dismissed the claims, telling her that the others were trying to “create enmity” between them.
Laura later concluded that she had been defrauded and demanded a refund, but her efforts were unsuccessful. One of the disgruntled partners eventually disclosed the true identity of the impostor, naming him as “Nzube Henry Ikeji”, and sent Laura a video purportedly showing him inside his newly acquired mansion.
As part of the investigation, OCCRP reporters travelled to Abuja and worked with journalist Chikezie Omeje to trace the man allegedly behind the scam.
Using Ikeji’s Instagram account, as well as posts from his wife, investigators identified clues pointing to his lifestyle and whereabouts. Videos on his page showed him flaunting wealth, including spraying money at a concert by Davido in Asaba, travelling to London with his family, shopping at Louis Vuitton, and acquiring luxury items such as wristwatches and a car.
Although investigators initially struggled to locate his residence, a social media post by his wife about their new mansion in Abuja provided a breakthrough. Further posts, including a photograph of Ikeji with a prominent Nigerian real estate developer, helped narrow the search.
Omeje said he visited several estates in Abuja, comparing them with images and videos shared online, before eventually identifying the mansion linked to the alleged impersonator.
When confronted at the residence, the man denied knowing Laura and questioned the journalist’s source when asked if he had claimed to be the Dubai Crown Prince. He later asked how the journalist gained access to his home.
On being questioned about “Dr Martins Abhulimhen” and whether he received funds from the UK through him, the man reportedly said such matters should be referred to his lawyer.
The investigation further revealed that Laura had reported the matter to UK authorities, submitting the photograph taken during her meeting with the alleged financial manager in London. The man in the photo was later identified as Martins Abhulimhen.
UK police reportedly informed Laura that Abhulimhen was under investigation over suspicious funds, which were said to be linked to her money. According to OCCRP, funds were allegedly transferred from Abhulimhen’s UK account to Ikeji’s account in Nigeria.
