The Nigerian government seeks the extradition of the brothers and their co-suspect over their indictment at a United States federal court on 1 December 2022.
The Nigerian government has applied for the extradition of two suspects and their co-suspect accused of exploitation of minors and production of child pornography to the United States to face trial.
A statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, listed the defendants as Samson Ogoshi, his brother, Samuel, and Ezekiel Ejemeh Robert.
The extradition case is before the Federal High Court in Abuja, according to the statement by the commission’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren.
Though the suspects were arrested by the EFCC, the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation is responsible for the extradition proceedings.
The statement said the Ogoshis and Ezekiel were indicted in a United States federal court on 1 December 2022 “on charges of exploitation of minors and production of child pornography resulting in death, conspiracy to distribute child pornography and conspiracy to commit stalking through the Internet.”
The commission said investigations revealed that the suspects conspired to conduct sex-based extortion of minors and adults in the United States of America.
It added that investigations also revealed that the suspects hacked some social media accounts, posing to be young attractive women to entice unsuspecting victims to send their sexually explicit photographs.
“These pictures were then used in blackmailing the victims, thereby forcing them into making huge financial payments,” EFCC said.
Samuel Ogoshi is charged with sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of minors that resulted in the death of one Jordan DeMay, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a statutory mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison, the EFCC statement said.
The trio are also charged with conspiracy to sexually exploit minors by causing them to produce child pornographic images that they used to blackmail them.
They are also charged with conspiracy to distribute child pornography, which borders on sending images to minors, their families and friends, as well as conspiracy to commit stalking through the Internet. Both offences carry a minimum of five years and maximum 20 years imprisonment.
While the Ogoshis were arrested sometime in February 2023 in the Ojo axis of Lagos, Ezekiel was picked up in Nasarawa by operatives of the EFCC.