Six Nigerians To Be Extradited To US Over Alleged Romance-Fraud Network

Six Nigerian nationals accused of belonging to an international romance-fraud network linked to the Black Axe organised-crime group are set to be extradited from South Africa to the United States.

The suspects, who were arrested in South Africa in 2021, are expected to be handed over to US authorities on Friday.

They are wanted in Texas and New Jersey on allegations including conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.

US authorities allege that the suspects were part of a sophisticated romance-fraud operation run from Cape Town, targeting victims online before manipulating them into sending money, laptops, phones and other valuables.

According to the allegations, the suspects would establish romantic relationships with victims online and gradually gain their trust before creating emergencies requiring financial assistance.

In one alleged scheme, a suspect posed as a romantic partner who was supposedly travelling to Cape Town for a construction project.

The victim was then allegedly told that the supposed partner had been robbed and needed phones, tablets or laptops sent to South Africa.

Other alleged schemes involved requests for money to repair a faulty crane at a construction site, pay legal fees following an accident or settle foreign taxes required to release a larger sum of money supposedly owed to the victim’s romantic partner.

US authorities have linked the alleged operation to Black Axe, a Nigerian organised-crime group accused of operating internationally.

The FBI previously identified Enorense Izevbigie, also known as Richy Izevbigie and Lord Samuel S Nujoma, as an alleged leader of the group. He was extradited to the United States in 2024.

The latest extradition follows years of legal proceedings in South Africa.

The suspects’ extradition enquiry began before the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, which issued key rulings in July 2023 and January 2024.

On February 19, 2024, the court ruled that the men could be extradited to the United States and ordered that they remain in custody while the Justice Minister considered their surrender.

The suspects challenged the ruling, arguing that the offences contained in the US indictment did not correspond precisely with offences recognised under South African law and should therefore prevent their extradition.

However, the Western Cape High Court rejected the argument in April 2026.

The court found that the evidence before it pointed to a large-scale international fraud operation and dismissed the appeal.

The six men are now expected to be surrendered to US authorities to face the charges against them.