The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it has arrested a self-acclaimed spiritualist, Odigie Moses, over allegations that he lured an Indian woman into participating in a nude “spiritual cleansing” ritual, secretly recorded the session, and allegedly extorted $1,100 from her through blackmail.
The anti-graft agency disclosed in a statement on Friday that the suspect was arrested in Ekpoma, Edo State, following investigations into a case of sextortion involving an overseas victim.
According to the EFCC, Moses allegedly presented himself on the social media platform Zelle as a spiritual healer with supernatural powers capable of solving life-threatening problems.
The commission said the Indian woman contacted the suspect seeking spiritual assistance for personal challenges she believed required supernatural intervention.
Rather than provide any legitimate service, the EFCC alleged that the suspect manipulated the woman into taking a naked spiritual bath during a live online session, which he secretly recorded without her knowledge or consent.
Investigators said Moses later threatened to release the explicit footage publicly unless the victim paid him money.
The EFCC said that the victim eventually transferred $1100 to the suspect in an attempt to prevent the circulation of the video.
“The suspect subsequently deceived her into taking a naked spiritual bath, which he recorded live without her permission, and thereafter blackmailed her to send him money, else he would make the video public,” the commission said.
The anti-corruption agency added that its investigation confirmed the payment was made under duress after the victim was threatened with the release of the compromising video.
The EFCC said the suspect remains in its custody while investigations continue.
The commission added that Moses would be arraigned before a competent court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The latest arrest added to a growing number of cases in which the EFCC has targeted individuals allegedly involved in sextortion, online romance scams and cyber-enabled blackmail.
Over the past few years, EFCC has carried out several nationwide raids on suspected cybercrime syndicates, particularly in Edo, Delta, Lagos, Abuja and other states across the country, leading to the arrest of hundreds of suspects accused of internet fraud, identity theft, cryptocurrency scams and sextortion.
In many of the cases, investigators alleged that suspects used fake identities on social media and messaging platforms to lure victims into intimate conversations before coercing them into sharing nude photographs or participating in explicit video calls.
The victims were then allegedly threatened with the publication of the materials unless they paid large sums of money.
The EFCC has repeatedly warned Nigerians and foreigners to be wary of self-styled spiritualists, online healers and fraudsters who exploit social media to prey on vulnerable individuals seeking financial, emotional or spiritual help.
The anti-graft agency has also intensified collaboration with international law enforcement agencies as reports of cross-border cybercrime and sextortion involving Nigerian-based suspects continue to attract global attention.
Several suspects arrested in previous operations have been prosecuted and some convicted by Nigerian courts on charges ranging from cybercrime and obtaining by false pretence to money laundering and identity theft.
The commission has urged members of the public to exercise caution when dealing with strangers online, particularly those demanding money, intimate images or participation in virtual “spiritual” rituals, warning that such schemes are increasingly being used to perpetrate extortion and other forms of cyber-enabled fraud.
Under Nigerian law, every suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
