The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a man identified as Odigie Moses, who allegedly posed as a spiritual healer and extorted an Indian woman after secretly recording her during an online “spiritual cleansing” session.
In a statement released on Friday, the anti-graft agency said the suspect was apprehended in Ekpoma, Edo State, following investigations into a cross-border sextortion case involving the foreign victim.
According to the EFCC, Moses allegedly advertised himself on the social media platform Zelle as a spiritualist with supernatural powers capable of solving serious personal and life-threatening problems.
The commission said the Indian woman reached out to him seeking spiritual assistance, but he allegedly exploited her trust by persuading her to take part in a nude spiritual bath during a live virtual session.
Investigators alleged that the suspect secretly recorded the session without the woman’s knowledge or consent before using the footage to threaten her with public exposure unless she paid him money.
“The suspect deceived her into taking a naked spiritual bath, which he recorded live without her permission, and thereafter blackmailed her to send him money or risk having the video made public,” the EFCC said.
The agency disclosed that the victim eventually transferred $1,100 to the suspect after the threats, with investigators confirming the payment was made under pressure.
The EFCC said Moses remains in custody while investigations continue and would be charged in court once the probe is concluded.
The commission noted that the case reflects the growing trend of cyber-enabled sextortion and online blackmail, in which fraudsters allegedly exploit victims through fake identities, romance scams, and deceptive online interactions.
It added that many suspects arrested in previous operations allegedly lured victims into sharing intimate images or participating in explicit video calls before demanding money to prevent the materials from being released.
The anti-graft agency urged Nigerians and foreign nationals to be cautious when dealing with self-proclaimed spiritualists and other individuals offering services through social media, warning that such platforms are increasingly being used to perpetrate fraud and extortion.
The EFCC also reaffirmed its commitment to working with international law enforcement agencies to combat cross-border cybercrime, adding that several suspects linked to similar offences have already been prosecuted and convicted in Nigerian courts.
The commission reminded the public to exercise caution when interacting with strangers online, especially those requesting money, intimate content, or participation in virtual spiritual rituals.
Under Nigerian law, every suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
