The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), commonly known as the Hawks, in collaboration with INTERPOL South Africa, facilitated the extradition of six Nigerian nationals to the United States of America on 11 September 2026.
The suspects and alleged charges
The men – Perry Osagiede, Collins Owhofsa Otughwor, Osariemen Eric Clement, Musa Mudashiri, Franklyn Edosa Osagiede and Prince Ibeabuchi Mark – are alleged members of the Black Axe organised criminal network. They are wanted by US authorities on charges of wire fraud and money laundering.
Scale of the alleged scams
According to the South African Police Service, the suspects are accused of targeting more than 100 women in the United States and defrauding them of more than R100 million through sophisticated online romance or love scams. Alleged victims included pensioners and businesspeople who were reportedly drawn into false relationships designed to extract their money.
Background to the arrests and court process
The six formed part of a group of eight Nigerian nationals arrested in South Africa in 2021 during a major takedown operation by the Hawks. The full group comprised Perry Osagiede, Enorense Izevbiege, Franklin Edosa Osagiede, Osariemen Eric Clement, Collins Owhofsa Otughwor, Musa Mudashiru, Toriseju Gabriel Otubu and Prince Ibeabuchi Mark.
In February 2024, the Cape Town Magistrate's Court ruled that the men could be extradited to the United States. Izevbiege and Otubu did not pursue their appeals; Izevbiege was subsequently extradited, while Otubu was granted R210 000 bail subject to conditions.
Handover and departure
Through coordination by INTERPOL South Africa, the six men were transported from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport. There they were handed over to officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Secret Service before boarding a 16-hour flight to the United States.
International cooperation
The extradition highlights ongoing cooperation between South African law-enforcement agencies and their international counterparts in disrupting transnational organised crime and ensuring that suspects wanted in other jurisdictions face due legal process.