Suleja, Niger State – The Niger State Police Command has announced the arrest of an 18-year-old man, Victor Ugwu, for his alleged involvement in an elaborate social media dating scam where he posed as a woman to deceive unsuspecting individuals.
The suspect, a resident of Easy Life Street, Kaduna Road, allegedly used photos of himself dressed in female attire and a wig to lure contacts on popular platforms like Facebook and TikTok into romantic relationships.
Interception During Public Dispute
The elaborate deception began to unravel on October 16, 2025, when a routine patrol team attached to the Maje Division in Suleja intercepted a heated public argument along Kaduna Road. The dispute was between Ugwu and one of his contacts, identified only as Peter.
According to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, Peter had initially contacted Ugwu last year, requesting an introduction to a female colleague of Ugwu’s.
“Surprisingly, Victor chose to dress like a lady, took selfie pictures and forwarded to Peter through social media, and requested for money, claiming to be the lady in the pictures,” Abiodun stated. The argument that led to the arrest occurred after Peter encountered Ugwu in person, realizing the alleged deceit.
During the subsequent investigation, a search of Victor Ugwu’s residence yielded incriminating evidence, including a wig and female clothes. The suspect later confessed to the operation.
Monetization as Motive
The motive behind the dating scam went beyond simple monetary fraud. Ugwu confessed that he shared the doctored pictures to his contacts on Facebook and TikTok with the dual aim of executing the dating scam and achieving high engagement for social media monetization.
“He confessed that he shared the pictures to his contacts on Facebook and Tiktok for a dating scam, and to also achieve one thousand viewers and followers for monetization,” SP Abiodun revealed. The case is currently under further investigation by the Command.
Stolen Vehicle Recovered in Separate Operation
In a separate display of operational effectiveness, SP Abiodun also disclosed that the Maje Division Patrol team successfully recovered a stolen white Volkswagen Golf vehicle (Registration No: RSH 442 FD).
The vehicle had been reported stolen from the Hayin-Kaduna area. Following an intensive search along the Maje-Dikko Junction to Kaduna road, the patrol team located the vehicle abandoned. The owner later confirmed the car’s identity. The police are currently investigating the matter to identify and apprehend the perpetrator responsible for the theft.
