•Malik Opeyemi
The Lagos State Police Command has apprehended a suspected cybercriminal, one Malik Opeyemi, male, aged 22, for posing as a woman online to blackmail unsuspecting victims.
According to a statement signed by the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the suspect was arrested on May 16, 2025, by detectives attached to the Area F Command, following a formal complaint lodged by one of his victims, reports The PUNCH.
Acting on the report, the officers commenced a discreet investigation, which led to the tracing and arrest of the suspect in Oyo State. He was subsequently transferred to Lagos for further interrogation and prosecution.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect had been operating since January 2025, during which he allegedly exploited over thirty victims, fraudulently obtaining a total sum exceeding Four Million Naira (₦4,000,000).
It was further discovered that the suspect’s modus operandi involved assuming a false female identity on social media platforms, enticing male victims into participating in nude video calls. These calls were secretly recorded and later used to blackmail the victims.
In addition, he demanded a so-called “subscription fee” of ₦25,000 from his targets in exchange for continued access to explicit content.
Upon his arrest, police operatives recovered two mobile devices, a Samsung phone and an Itel phone from the suspect. A forensic analysis of the devices uncovered numerous nude and explicit images of various individuals, believed to be victims of his fraudulent scheme.
The statement said, “Detectives of the Area F Command of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a suspected blackmailer, Malik Opeyemi, ‘m’, aged 22, for posing as a woman online to deceive unsuspecting men. The suspect lures victims into making nude video calls, which he exploits to blackmail them.
“The arrest, which took place on May 16, 2025, followed a complaint received from one of his victims at the Area Command. Detectives swiftly commenced investigations, traced and apprehended the suspect in Oyo State before transferring him to Lagos for further investigation. Investigation revealed that the suspect has obtained over Four Million Naira (₦4,000,000) from over thirty victims since he started this criminal enterprise in January 2025.
“Further investigations revealed his modus operandi as demanding twenty-five thousand naira (₦25,000) payment referred to as a “subscription” fee from his victims for access to nude and intimate contents. During the arrest, detectives recovered two Android phones—an Itel and a Samsung—from the suspect. A forensic analysis of the devices uncovered numerous explicit images of different victims. The suspect has since been duly charged to court.
“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, assures the public of the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating cybercrime and safeguarding residents from digital exploitation. He urges citizens to remain vigilant in their online activities and promptly report any suspicious behaviour, reaffirming the Command’s dedication to ensuring that all offenders are brought to justice.”
