“Always Us”: Concern Grows As Another Romance Scam Arrest Is Made in India, “Nigerian?”
- A 27-year-old Nigerian national named Obase Prosper was arrested in Delhi after authorities recovered over 5 kilograms of methamphetamine from him
- The young man had entered India on a medical visa but allegedly remained in the country illegally after it expired in 2023
- Authorities linked him to an international romance scam syndicate that reportedly defrauded Indian victims of millions of rupees
A 27-year-old Nigerian national found himself in serious legal trouble in India after authorities linked him to both a major narcotics haul and an online romance scam operation.
Source: Getty Images
Obase Prosper was arrested in Delhi on Friday, 17 July 2026, during a joint operation carried out by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force and the Narcotics Control Bureau.
According to Indian authorities, 5.085 kilograms of methamphetamine, valued at over ₹10 crore, were recovered from Obase at the time of his arrest.
Obase had originally entered India on a medical visa, but authorities say he overstayed illegally after that visa expired in 2023.
His presence in the country only came to the attention of investigators following a complaint from a Lucknow resident who alleged he had been defrauded of nearly ₹68 lakh.
Additional Superintendent of Police Vishal Vikram Singh alleged that Obase was a key figure in an international romance scam syndicate targeting Indian victims. The group reportedly created fake profiles on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, posing as citizens of the United States and United Kingdom to build romantic relationships with unsuspecting men and women.
Once trust was established, victims were told that expensive gifts, foreign currency and other valuables had been sent to them from abroad. They were then asked to pay fabricated charges, including customs duty and GST, before the items could supposedly be released. To make the deception more convincing, investigators say a forged Royal Bank of Scotland certificate was also sent to at least one victim.
A case has been registered at the Madiaon Police Station in Lucknow, and investigations are continuing.
The Instagram post below has more details about the arrest of a Nigerian in India for allegedly selling illicit substances and engaging in a romance scam.
Reactions to Nigerian arrested in India
The story was shared on Instablog9ja on 19 July 2026 and drew a wave of frustrated responses from Nigerians online, many of whom expressed concern about how incidents like this affect the country's reputation abroad.
@luxuryhairbynaijabosslady said:
"This is why they'll never respect us abroad."
@hardey_nike_111 wrote:
"On medical visa??? 😂 una Dey do oo 😂."
@julixfashionempire commented:
"On medical visa? Why are we like this? Now those who genuinely need medical care might be denied a visa."
@mantherams joked:
"Hard Working 💪 Nigerians 😂."
@lebakentshitile wrote:
"Our educated and hardworking brothers."
Source: UGC
Prophet Telvin hints at more FBI arrests
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Prophet Telvin has warned that more arrests of Ghanaian fraudsters by American authorities are on the horizon, speaking days after the high-profile extradition of Abu Trica to the United States.
The prophet shared his views during a sit-down interview with Nana Romeo on Okay FM on July 16, 2026, where he weighed in on the growing crackdown on West African cybercrime suspects.
Source: YEN.com.gh
