Officials cite Operation Artemis, $65m in losses, as both sides pledge stronger joint action against cyber-syndicates
The United States Consulate in Lagos and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, have commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for its role in tackling sextortion and transnational financial crimes, as both countries move to deepen intelligence sharing.
The commendation was delivered on Monday, July 6, 2026, during a courtesy visit to the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 by SSA James Smith, Assistant Law Enforcement Attaché, U.S. Consulate, and SSA Thomas Pepper of the Cyber Division, FBI Headquarters.
They were received by ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo, Acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2.
“Strengthening collaboration”
Speaking at the meeting, Smith said the visit was aimed at reinforcing the existing partnership between the U.S. Consulate and the EFCC, with a focus on faster information exchange in cases involving both Nigerians and foreigners.
“The goal is to strengthen collaboration, particularly in the area of information sharing, to combat criminal activities that cut across borders,” Smith said.
Responding, Kaltungo thanked the U.S. delegation and assured them of “utmost cooperation where necessary” in ongoing investigations and prosecutions.
—Operation Artemis and joint crackdowns—
The meeting comes on the heels of a series of joint operations targeting West African cyber-syndicates.
The FBI had earlier launched Operation Artemis, an international tactical surge deployed to Nigeria to dismantle financially motivated sextortion rings that target minors in the U.S. and other Western nations.
According to U.S. data cited at the meeting, such cybercriminal networks have caused nearly $65 million in losses and have been linked to the suicides of more than 20 minors.
EFCC and FBI joint operations have already led to the arrest of dozens of suspects in Nigeria, as well as high-profile extraditions to the U.S. to face federal prosecution.
—Why the partnership matters—
Sextortion — the blackmail of victims, often minors, with intimate images for money — has become one of the fastest-growing cyber threats tracked by both countries.
U.S. officials said enhanced, real-time information sharing with the EFCC is critical to tracing perpetrators, freezing illicit funds, and preventing further victimization.
The EFCC reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the partnership, noting that transnational cybercrime requires coordinated investigation, prosecution, and prevention across jurisdictions.
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With Nigeria’s digital population expanding rapidly, both agencies agreed that protecting vulnerable users online will remain a top priority in the next phase of the collaboration.
