From Facebook Romance to Prison Cell

On Tuesday last week, a Lagos Mobile Court sitting in Bolade, Oshodi, convicted 37-year-old Jeriq Enejo and sentenced him to two years and six months’ imprisonment for luring a woman, whose identity has been withheld, to a hotel in Oshodi after meeting her on Facebook. He stole her iPhone XS Max, valued at ₦350,000, before abandoning her at the hotel.

Enejo represents a disturbing class of criminals who prowl social media platforms in search of unsuspecting victims. They masquerade as caring friends or potential romantic partners, patiently building trust before striking. What begins as an innocent online conversation can quickly become a carefully orchestrated criminal scheme.

The reality is that evil rarely wears a warning sign. Many people have fallen victim to similar tactics after agreeing to meet individuals they first encountered online. Some have been lured to restaurants, hotels or other public places, only to be manipulated into surrendering their phones, losing their bags or being robbed of other valuables before the perpetrators vanished.

Social media remains one of the greatest tools of modern communication, connecting millions of people and creating opportunities for friendship, business and personal growth. However, it has also become a fertile hunting ground for fraudsters, scammers and other criminals who exploit trust for personal gain. It is a digital space occupied by the good, the bad and the dangerous, making vigilance an essential responsibility for every user.

For Enejo, justice eventually caught up with him. Through painstaking investigation, police officers tracked him down and arrested him barely two weeks after the offence. During interrogation, he admitted that the complainant was his second victim. Whether that claim is true or not is difficult to determine, as criminals often minimise the extent of their wrongdoing.

Ironically, the iPhone XS Max worth ₦350,000 was reportedly sold for just ₦45,000. It is another reminder that criminals frequently sacrifice promising futures for insignificant gains. In the end, crime offers only temporary rewards but lasting consequences.

This case also reinforces a timeless lesson repeatedly emphasised by the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu: before committing any crime, consider the consequences. Justice may sometimes appear delayed, but it is rarely denied. No criminal escapes accountability forever—it is only a matter of time.

The lesson is equally important for members of the public. While online platforms continue to enrich lives and create meaningful connections, users must exercise caution when interacting with strangers. Verifying identities, meeting only in safe public places, informing trusted relatives or friends of one’s whereabouts and remaining alert can make the difference between a pleasant encounter and a traumatic experience.

In today’s digital age, trust should be earned—not assumed.