Lagos Police Arrest Two Women Over Alleged Online Business Blackmail Scheme

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two women, identified as Shallon Daniels, 22, and Peace Ijeoma, 27, over allegations of blackmailing online business owners and extorting money from them through coordinated digital attacks.

According to police sources, the suspects allegedly targeted small and medium-scale online vendors, threatening to take down their business pages on social media platforms unless they paid a ransom.

The alleged scheme reportedly involved reporting business pages en masse or exploiting platform policies to trigger suspensions, followed by demands for payment in exchange for restoring access or preventing further disruptions.

Investigators said the suspects were tracked following multiple complaints from victims who reported sudden loss of access to their business accounts and subsequent demands for payment.

The Lagos State Police Command confirmed that the suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to determine the full scope of their activities and possible accomplices.

Authorities described the act as a form of cyber-enabled extortion, warning that such crimes have become increasingly common as more businesses rely on social media platforms for marketing and sales.

Police officials also urged online business owners to strengthen their account security, verify platform policies carefully, and report suspicious activities promptly to law enforcement agencies.

The suspects are expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations, while efforts continue to recover evidence linked to the alleged scheme.

The case highlights growing concerns around cybercrime targeting Nigeria’s expanding digital economy, particularly among small business owners who depend heavily on social media visibility for survival.