The Nigeria Police Force has handed over $23,000, recovered from a suspected international romance scammer, to the British High Commission in Abuja.

The funds were seized from Achufusi Obioma, a Nigerian under investigation for allegedly defrauding a Cayman Islands resident through an online romance scam.

In a statement on Friday, NPF spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin said the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Abuja received the fraud complaint from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service.

Hundeyin said the funds were returned to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service via Shaun McLeary, a representative of the British High Commission in Abuja.

“The repatriation followed a request received from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service seeking assistance of the INTERPOL NCB Abuja to investigate a Nigerian national, Achufusi Obioma Ikenna, who defrauded a resident of the Cayman Islands through an online romance scam,” the statement reads.

“Acting on the request, INTERPOL NCB Abuja conducted discreet, intelligence-led investigations which led to the arrest of the suspect and the recovery of the sum of $23,000.

“Following the completion of all necessary documentation and in collaboration with international partners, the recovered funds were formally handed over to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, through the British High Commission in Abuja, represented by Mr. Shaun McLeary, for secure delivery to the victim. Meanwhile the suspect will be arraigned at the conclusion of investigation.

“This successful repatriation underscores the Nigeria Police Force’s sustained commitment to intelligence-driven policing, effective international collaboration, and the disruption of transnational cybercrime networks.”

The Cayman Islands, a self-governing British overseas territory in the Western Caribbean, was the jurisdiction whose police received the recovered funds.