Nigerian extradited to US for alleged sextortion

A 24-year-old Nigerian man, Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal, has been extradited to the United States to face charges related to the sextortion of a minor, which allegedly led to the victim's suicide.

Lawal, from Osun State, was flown to the US after an agreement was reached ensuring he would not face the death penalty if convicted.

Appearing in a federal court in Columbia, South Carolina, Lawal pleaded not guilty to charges, including child exploitation resulting in death and the distribution of child sexual abuse material.

The case stems from the suicide of 17-year-old Gavin Guffey, who was allegedly coerced by Lawal—posing as a young woman online—into sending compromising photos. Lawal then reportedly extorted and harassed Guffey and his family.

If convicted, Lawal faces a mandatory 30-year sentence, with the possibility of life in prison. His next court appearance is set for Monday.

This case follows previous sextortion-related prosecutions of Nigerians in the US, as authorities intensify efforts to combat such crimes.

Last year, Meta removed thousands of Nigerian accounts linked to sextortion scams, while Nigeria’s National Cyber Crime Centre continues to strengthen measures against online exploitation.