Nigeria has extradited a wire fraud suspect, Fatade Olamilekan, to the United States to face justice, spokesperson for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission – EFCC – Wilson Uwujaren, said Tuesday in a statement.
Olamilekan was flown to the US last Thursday, he said.
The suspect, who is on the wanted list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – FBI – is accused of stealing over $3.5 million worth of equipment in cities across the US.
Olamilekan allegedly committed the crimes by impersonating cities, states and academic institutions in the US, the EFCC said, adding that it coordinated his extradition following a notice from the FBI in New York through the US legal attaché in Nigeria.
Olamilekan was indicted by a grand jury in the Southern District of New York for offences of wire fraud, interstate transportation of stolen property and identity theft.
The suspect was arrested on September 30, 2021, by the EFCC.
The attorney-general of the federation filed the extradition proceedings against him in November 2021 at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.
On May 1, 2022, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke granted the request to extradite the suspect to the US.
