A 30-year-old internet fraudster, commonly referred to as a “Yahoo Boy,” was arrested by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) while attempting to rob and possibly kill a hookup girl at a hotel in Abuja.
The suspect, Joseph Efe, has admitted to luring and robbing four other women through dating platforms before being apprehended.
Efe, who hails from Edo and Ondo States, was captured at Top View Hotel in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, while trying to flee after leaving his latest victim, 28-year-old Olivia Ijeoma Chukwuemeka, tied up in a hotel room.
The FCT Commandant of the NSCDC, Olusola Odumosu, explained that officers from his team became suspicious of Efe’s behavior when they saw him leaving the hotel. “When he came out of the hotel premises allegedly to meet his accomplice, our officers noticed something was off and stopped him. He tried to escape, but we pursued and apprehended him. On returning to the hotel, we found a young woman, Olivia Ijeoma Chukwuemeka, bound and gagged,” Odumosu stated.
Efe allegedly targeted women through dating apps such as Badoo, Tinder, and Insta Love. His most recent victim was contacted via a platform known as “Coded Runs.” According to Odumosu, Efe lured the women to hotel rooms with the intention of robbing them.
The Commandant revealed that Efe had arrived in Abuja from Lagos on September 17, 2024, and had already victimized another woman at FAB, by Top Rank Hotel, adjacent to Old Federal Secretariat, Area 1. He managed to escape after this incident due to poor security at the location. Determined to continue his criminal activities, he checked into Top View Hotel at 2:30 a.m. on September 18 and invited Chukwuemeka, promising to pay her ₦100,000.
Odumosu emphasized the importance of security in hotels, urging owners to prioritize guest safety and remain vigilant. “We are committed to performing our duties with diligence before taking any necessary steps to prosecute or transfer a suspect to the appropriate agency,” he said, noting that the NSCDC does not release unverified information. He also distanced his team from a video circulating on social media, insisting it was not recorded or shared by his team.
The incident underscores the growing risks associated with online dating platforms. Efe’s victim, a beautician from Enugu, shared her terrifying ordeal. “He used my clothes, a cellotape, and a pillowcase to tie me up and threatened to kill me with a poisonous injection if I didn’t comply,” she recalled. Efe had taken her Android phone and demanded access to her Opay mobile banking app. “He was contemplating what to do next when, thankfully, I was rescued,” she said.
In addition to Efe’s arrest, the NSCDC also presented Usman Ibrahim, another suspect, who was arrested for vandalizing armored cables from a transformer at the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission’s Nuclear Technology Centre in Sheda Village, Abuja.
These arrests highlight the ongoing efforts of the NSCDC to combat crime and protect citizens across Nigeria.
