Nigerians on social media have berated the Economic and Financial Crime Commission for tagging the Federal Bureau of Investigation over the former’s role in the extradition of Mudashiru Afeez Olawale and Adebola Festus Adekunle to the United States of America to face prosecution over alleged sexual extortion of two teenage boys in the North American country.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement on Friday, said Messrs Olawale and Adekunle were identified in separate investigations by the FBI in sextortion schemes targeting male minors, particularly those aged 13 and 17, leading to the deaths of two minors.

The commission noted that the schemes involved the use of child sexual abuse material to extort victims for money through various means, including money remitters, gift cards and cryptocurrency.

Shortly after the EFCC’s announcement, FBI director, Kash Patel, tweeted that the U.S. law enforcement agency facilitated the extradition of the two suspects to the country, suggesting it solely carried out the operation. 

“This FBI has brought back two high-value targets from Nigeria to the United States to face justice for alleged sextortion crimes targeting minors,” Mr Patel wrote. “They were overseas for three years. Now they’re back on U.S. soil to answer for the charges against them.”

Reacting to Mr Patel’s tweet, the EFCC attributed the suspects’ arrests and extradition to the proficiency of its operatives, noting the development attested to the collaboration between the two agencies.

The development triggered reactions from X users who knocked the EFCC for tagging the FBI in its post, accusing the anti-graft agency of playing zero role in the extradition.

Some of the social media users argued that the FBI should have acknowledged the role played by the EFCC in the operation, while others said the anti-graft agency probably played no role hence the FBI’s failure to credit it for any contribution.  

One of them, @Web3serpent wrote, “[It] is a lie, there has never been extradition of criminal and crime case from the USA to Nigeria but from Nigeria to USA, you people don’t really know what you are doing. You are a joke, EFCC.”

“Funny how the supposedly FBI didn’t give you credit for your efforts and collaborations because you have reduced yourself to political tools. That’s what happens when an institution of the state allows itself into politics,” @Web3geeked said.

Another X user @Main_Imago stated, “No one recognizes you. Keep forcing yourself. You and your people are know in the U.S. for protecting evil government looters who loots the common wealth of the country while going around arresting anyone you see with laptop on the road.”

“When you start arresting corrupt politicians and so called elites with questionable source of income, we will take u seriously, as of now the people don’t trust the state owned institutions,” @GodwinsonFate reacted.

Also, @WorseNight29084 stated, “It’s a blatant lie from you lying corps (sic). @FBI would have attributed your corrupt criminal shielding dystopian agency to the success of this mild intercontinental operation. You always like to take glory for operation you don’t have a clue of.”

“Also ensure cooperation and arrest corrupt politicians who have looted us to the point of exhaustion,” @Nnamso tweeted.

Besides, @Molee_001 wrote, “Can you all extradite any USA citizen like that to Nigeria? @officialEFCC, single atom of shame in your body. Slavery people.”