Boma Achenimie 
On Friday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced the arrest of 22 Nigerian nationals accused of orchestrating a widespread sextortion scheme that has been linked to the suicides of more than 20 teenage boys in the United States since 2021.
The arrests were made under Operation Artemis, a major international effort involving law enforcement agencies from Nigeria, the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
The suspects were apprehended following a nearly two-year investigation into online sextortion rackets targeting minors across various social media platforms.
In a statement published on its website, the FBI revealed that the perpetrators posed as young women online to lure teenage boys into sharing sexually explicit images.
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Once the images were obtained, the perpetrators allegedly extorted money from the victims by threatening to release the material publicly.
“In many cases, even after payments were made, the threats continued pushing some victims to tragic ends,” the FBI said.
Special Agent Karen R., who coordinated the Bureau’s role in the operation, emphasised the devastating impact of these crimes.
“This is not a victimless crime. These are real children suffering real consequences,” she said.
The FBI urged parents, educators, and caregivers to remain vigilant about the dangers of online exploitation and encouraged victims to seek help without fear of shame or retribution.
Operation Artemis represents one of the most extensive international crackdowns on online child exploitation to date, highlighting growing global cooperation to combat digital crimes.
