The Niger State Police Command has arrested an 18-year-old man for allegedly disguising as a woman online to defraud unsuspecting victims, in a case highlighting the growing trend of social media scams in the state.
The suspect, Victor Ugwu of Easy Life Street, Kaduna Road, was intercepted on October 16, 2025, by a patrol team from the Maje Division while involved in a public argument with a local resident, identified as Peter.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer for Niger Command, Wasiu Abiodun, on Sunday.
“On October 16, 2025, at about 6pm, a patrol team attached to Maje Division, while on routine patrol along Kaduna Road, intercepted Victor Ugwu in a public argument with one Peter of the same area,” Abiodun said.
According to the statement, Peter told officers that he had approached Victor within the past year to link him with a female colleague of Victor’s.
Rather than connecting the two parties, Victor allegedly dressed as a woman, took photos of himself, and sent them to Peter on social media, requesting money.
“Surprisingly, Victor chose to dress like a lady, took self-pictures, and forwarded them to Peter through social media, requesting money.
“During the investigation, a search was conducted in Victor’s house, and a wig and female clothes were recovered,” Abiodun said.
Victor reportedly admitted to sharing the pictures with multiple contacts on Facebook and TikTok as part of a dating scam.
He also sought to increase his social media followers and views for monetisation purposes.
“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 monetisation.
“The case is under further investigation,” the police spokesperson added.
The incident underscores the evolving tactics of cybercriminals in Nigeria, including the use of social media platforms to manipulate victims and exploit trust for financial gain. Police have cautioned residents to verify identities online and avoid sending money to persons they have not met in person.
In a separate but related law enforcement success, the Niger State Police also recovered a stolen vehicle along Kaduna Road on the same day.
Abiodun said on October 16, a report was received at Maje Division indicating that a white Golf vehicle with registration number RSH 442 FD was stolen from where it was parked at Hayin-Kaduna.
“The police patrol team mobilised and searched along Maje-Dikko Junction to Kaduna Road. Fortunately, the vehicle was found abandoned and recovered to the police station.
“The complainant confirmed it as the stolen vehicle. Investigation is ongoing to identify the perpetrator,” Abiodun concluded.
The Niger State Police Command has urged residents to exercise caution, particularly on social media, and warned that those involved in fraudulent activities would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
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