A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the detention of Lawrence Olanrewaju Folawunmi, a Nigerian man, in connection with a US extradition request over his alleged involvement in a $1.25 million wire fraud scheme.
Justice Akintayo Aluko approved the application filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation under Nigeria’s Extradition Act, directing that Folawunmi be held pending the hearing and determination of the extradition proceedings.
Folawunmi faces allegations in the United States of email compromise and wire fraud, including aiding and abetting, involving approximately $1.25 million (over N1.8 billion).
He was arrested in Lagos by operatives of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau attached to the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Alagbon-Ikoyi, acting on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. The police said the arrest highlights renewed efforts to combat cross-border cybercrime through intelligence-driven operations and international cooperation.
Court documents reveal that Folawunmi was indicted by a grand jury of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division, on November 15, 2021. The indictment, endorsed by US prosecutors, accuses him of orchestrating fraudulent payment diversions through multiple transactions.
According to the charges, Folawunmi allegedly deceived a company into changing its payment details on at least eight occasions, resulting in the transfer of approximately $1.25 million to accounts linked to the scheme.
During proceedings, counsel from the Office of the AGF argued that a remand order was necessary to ensure Folawunmi’s presence during the extradition process. Defence counsel W. Liadi did not oppose the request but urged the court to fix an early hearing date.
Justice Aluko ordered that Folawunmi be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service and adjourned the case to January 21, 2025, for hearing.
An affidavit supporting the extradition request, sworn by an official of the International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department in the Office of the AGF, stated that the United States had submitted all required documents for Folawunmi’s arrest and surrender. The affidavit emphasized that the alleged offences were not political, the request was not intended to persecute him based on race, religion, nationality, or political opinion, and that he would receive a fair trial if extradited.
It further confirmed that no similar charges exist against Folawunmi in Nigeria, that the alleged offences are serious enough to warrant extradition, and that the request complies with Nigeria’s international obligations.
