Woman Arraigned For Alleged N6.8m Romance Scam

A woman, Catherine Ijeoma Ugwu, has been arraigned before the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for an alleged N6.8 million romance scam.

Ugwu was charged with four counts of obtaining money by false pretenses, criminal misappropriation, and cheating by impersonation.

According to the charges, Ugwu pretended to be the fiancée of one Emmanuel Ani and collected N6,710,300 from him between June 2023 and August 2024.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the prosecution counsel, S.O Saka and Faruku Muhammad, requested a trial date and remand of the defendant in a Correctional Centre.

Justice Aisha Kumaliya adjourned the matter until April 8, 2025, for the commencement of the trial and remanded Ugwu in a Correctional Centre.

Ugwu’s troubles began when she impersonated Ani’s fiancée and obtained N6.8 million from him. When Ani confronted her, she couldn’t account for or return the money.

This case highlights the EFCC’s efforts to combat romance scams and financial crimes in Nigeria.