EFCC seeks extradition of siblings to US over ‘child exploitation, pornography’

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has commenced proceedings for the extradition of three Nigerians suspected to have committed child exploitation and pornography.

Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesperson of the anti-graft agency, announced the development in a statement on Monday.

He identified the suspects as Ezekiel Ejemeh Robert, Samson Ogoshi and his brother, Samuel.

The EFCC seeks to extradite them to the US  to face charges bothering on “conspiracy to sexually exploit minors by causing them to produce child pornographic images that they used to blackmail them”.

Uwujaren said the suspects hacked some social media accounts, posing to be young attractive women to lure victims to send their sexually explicit pictures.

He added that the suspects used the pictures to blackmail the victims, thereby forcing them into making huge financial payments.

“The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has initiated extradition proceedings at the federal high court, Abuja judicial division, against three suspects, Samson Ogoshi, his brother, Samuel, and Ezekiel Ejemeh Robert, over exploitation of minor and production of child pornography,” the statement reads.

“The Ogoshis and Ezekiel were indicted in a United States Federal Court on December 1, 2022, on charges of exploitation of minors and production of child pornography resulting in death, conspiracy to distribute child pornography and conspiracy to commit stalking through the internet.

“According to investigations, the suspects conspired to conduct sex-based extortion of minors and adults in the United States of America.

“The trio, investigations also revealed, hacked some social media accounts, posing to be young attractive women to entice unsuspecting victims to send their sexually explicit photographs.

“These pictures were then used in blackmailing the victims, thereby forcing them into making huge financial payments.

“Consequently, Samuel Ogoshi is charged with sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of minors that resulted in the death of one Jordan DeMay, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a statutory mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison.

“The trio are charged with conspiracy to sexually exploit minors by causing them to produce child pornographic images that they used to blackmail them.

“They are further charged with conspiracy to distribute child pornography, which borders on sending images to minors, their families and friends, as well as conspiracy to commit stalking through the internet.

“Both offences carry a minimum of five years and maximum 20 years imprisonment.

“While the Ogoshis were arrested sometime in February 2023 around the Ojo axis of Lagos, Ezekiel was picked up in Nasarawa by operatives of the EFCC.”