TheCable reports that the police have rescued a United States citizen whom they say was detained in Lagos for more than a year by a Nigerian she met on Facebook.

The police said the American was confined against her wish in a hotel in Lagos by one Chukwuebuka Obiaku, a suspected fraudster that “extorted her of about $48,000”.

Frank Mba, police spokesman who disclosed this on Sunday, said Obiaku “lured the victim into the country under the pretext of love and deceitfully married her on 15th May, 2019″.

“The victim who hails from Washington DC, USA and is a retired civil servant in the US, arrived Nigeria on 13th February, 2019 on a visit to one Chukwuebuka Kasi Obiaku, 34 years old, a native of Ikeduru LGA of Imo State whom she met on Facebook,” Mba said in a statement.

“She was however rescued by Police operatives attached to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Ogun State Annex following information received from a patriotic and civic minded Nigerian in the Meran area of Lagos State.

“Investigations reveal that the suspect, Chukwuebuka Kasi Obiaku is a graduate of Business Administration and Management and an internet fraudster who has defrauded many unsuspecting members of the public both locally and internationally.

“Chukwuebuka deliberately lured the victim into the country under the pretext of love and deceitfully married her on 15th May, 2019. He subsequently held her captive in a hotel, extorted from her monies amounting to a total of 48,000-USD.

“He also forcefully collected and took control of her credit and debit cards as well as the operation of her bank accounts including the receipt of her monthly retirement benefits and allowances over the period of fifteen (15) months.”

The police added that the suspect also used the American as “a front to defraud her associates and other foreign personalities and companies”.