The United States Consulate in Lagos and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have called for stronger information sharing with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to deepen collaboration in tackling sextortion and other transnational financial crimes.
The request was made during a courtesy visit by the Assistant Law Enforcement Attaché of the U.S. Consulate, SSA James Smith, and SSA Thomas Pepper of the FBI Cyber Division Headquarters to the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, ACE I Bawa Kaltungo.
The development was disclosed in a statement posted by the anti-graft agency on its X handle on Tuesday.
During the meeting, held on Monday, the U.S. officials commended the EFCC for its investigative effectiveness and sustained efforts in combating sextortion and other transnational financial crimes.
Speaking during the interactive session, Smith said the visit aimed to strengthen the existing partnership between the U.S. Consulate and the Commission, particularly in information sharing.
“The visit aimed to strengthen the existing collaboration between the U.S. Consulate and the Commission, particularly in the area of information sharing in combating criminal activities involving both Nigerians and foreigners,” he said.
Responding, Kaltungo thanked the delegation for the visit and assured them of the Commission’s continued cooperation.
“I thank you for the visit and assure you of our utmost cooperation where necessary,” he said.
According to the EFCC, the engagement reflects the commitment of both Nigeria and the United States to strengthening cooperation in the fight against sextortion, cybercrime, and other transnational financial crimes.
The renewed collaboration comes amid growing global efforts to curb financially motivated sextortion.
In April 2025, the FBI announced the arrest of 22 Nigerians allegedly involved in a financially motivated sextortion network linked to more than 20 teen suicides in the United States since 2021.
The arrests were carried out under Operation Artemis, a first-of-its-kind global initiative launched in 2023 following thousands of reports of teenage boys being coerced into sharing sexually explicit images online and subsequently extorted with threats of public exposure unless they paid.
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Centre (IC3), more than 34,000 sextortion victims were reported in 2023. The figure rose to over 54,000 in 2024, with financial losses approaching $65 million over the two-year period.
