THE Niger State Police Command has arrested an 18-year-old man, Victor Ugwu, for allegedly posing as a woman on social media to defraud unsuspecting victims in an elaborate online dating scheme.
Ugwu, who resides on Easy Life Street along Kaduna Road, was intercepted by a patrol team from the Maje Division on October 16, 2025, during a heated argument with a local resident named Peter.
The incident was confirmed in a statement issued yesterday by the Police Public Relations Officer for the state command, Wasiu Abiodun.
“On October 16, 2025, at about 6 p.m., a patrol team attached to Maje Division, while on routine patrol along Kaduna Road, intercepted one Victor Ugwu engaged in a public argument with one Peter of the same area,” the statement read.
Peter told police that he had asked Victor to introduce him to a female friend, but instead, Victor disguised himself as a woman, took selfies wearing a wig and female clothes, and sent the pictures to Peter through social media, demanding money.
“Surprisingly, Victor chose to dress like a lady, took pictures, and forwarded them to Peter through social media, requesting money,” Abiodun said.
A subsequent search of Ugwu’s residence uncovered wigs and women’s clothing used in the scheme.
During interrogation, Ugwu confessed to sending similar photos to multiple contacts on Facebook and TikTok for fraudulent purposes and to boost his social media followers for monetisation.
“He confessed that he shared the pictures to his contacts on Facebook and TikTok for a dating scam and to reach one thousand followers for monetisation,” Abiodun added, noting that the case remains under investigation.
The police spokesperson warned residents to be cautious when interacting with strangers online and to avoid sending money to individuals they have not met physically, as cybercriminals increasingly exploit social media for financial fraud.
In a related operation, the police also recovered a stolen vehicle along Kaduna Road on the same day.
According to Abiodun, officers from Maje Division received a report that a white Golf car (registration number RSH 442 FD) had been stolen from where it was parked in the Hayin-Kaduna area.
The patrol team later found the car abandoned near the Maje-Dikko Junction, and it was returned to its owner as investigations continue.
The Niger State Police Command reiterated its commitment to tackling cyber and property crimes across the state and assured residents that offenders would be prosecuted.