Odalo, Nigeria’s Twitter swindler faking “heart disease” to scam women
Romance scam is prevalent in Nigeria but is rarely documented. The country accounts for the 2nd highest rate of dating fraud in the world, with an average loss of £10,700 per victim. Comparatively, a staggering sum of £12.1 million (over N11.3 billion) has been lost mostly by women to male perpetrators.
When investigative journalist Simbiat Bakare came across the story of Nigeria's Twitter Swindler Iriodalo Emmanuel Obhafuoso, she went into an analytical deep dive. The laser-focused reporter invested over 100 hours in unveiling the lies and strategies of Odalo by speaking to one of his victims, Elsa, the hospital he uses as cover, and several medical professionals.
On the day when the stars seemed at peace, Elsa fell for the oldest wooing trick in the game. When a man wants to strike up a conversation with a lady, he pretends to know her from somewhere. Depending on her mood and response, he continues with his frolic.
Well, Elsa must have been in a good mood when Iriodalo Emmanuel Obhafuoso (Odalo) contacted her because she responded nicely. It was April 17, 2022, and Odalo had sent her a Twitter (now X) direct message:
“Heyy, did you attend MMAS by any chance?”
“Hiya, I'm a bit unsure what MMAS is,” Elsa responded.
“Lol, then it’s definitely not you. You look like a primary school classmate who used to tease me about my glasses so much; Murtala Muhammed Airport School,” Odalo cleverly said, asserting she doesn’t know of him but at the same time introducing an interesting detail about his past.
A screenshot of the chat between Elsa and Odalo. It shows the day Odalo slid into her Twitter (now X) DM.
It was a clever bait, and Elsa bit like any curious person would. Elsa continued the conversation with him, and they chatted every single day since then.
When Odalo was convinced Elsa was fascinated by him, within a week of their conversation, he hinted that he had something to tell her. Like Lord Baelish, he didn’t reveal his issue immediately, but when asked, "How are you,” he typically responded, "I’m not fine. I haven’t been fine.”
The eventual bombshell
Elsa cared about what Odalo had to say, and in the evening, she asked:
“Oya, are you ready to tell me what’s wrong?”
Odalo replied that he was very ill and had a heart condition.
“The right side of my heart is swollen. It became pretty serious over the past few days,” he said.
He claimed he was in pain, the pills he had been taking weren’t helping him much and he needed surgery worth N3.3 million to remove “blood cloth and reduce swelling.” He further claimed that he had most of the money and needed N200,000 as balance (A manipulative strategy skilled scammers use to make victims feel at ease by acting like they have money and only need a few sums).
Again, his tactic worked and Elsa asked for his account details which he provided swiftly – in two minutes.
Some screenshots of Odalo’s message to Elsa
The account details he sent was: “0768696473, Access Bank, Obhafuoso Emmanuel Iriodalo.”
Romance scam in full effect: The beginning and end of billing
The moment Odalo sent his account details was the beginning of Elsa’s spending in a bid to get him healthy. Elsa crowdfunded almost N30,000 for him on Twitter, but it was barely enough to cover his alleged health expenses, so she also sent him some of her money. She had sent over N397,000 before she realised she was being scammed.
“Sixty thousand naira on April 29. That was the first money I sent (I also sent) N26,000 on April 30. There was N20,000 on May 1st, N225,000 for the balance of surgery, and N66,000 for drugs on the 6th of July. There were some 1k sprinkled here and there,” Elsa recounted.
In three months, between April and July of 2022, Elsa and Odalo developed a friendship similar to a relationship. They talked a lot and did consistent voice and video calls. However, because Odalo claimed to reside in Benin, she could not meet him in person. Their lack of physical meeting made Elsa hesitant to “officially date him,” but Odalo assured her he would be in Lagos soon and they would meet.
One morning in July, he expressed his love and gratitude to her:
“I love you. Thank you for being by my side this past couple of months. I really appreciate you.”
‘Every day is for the thief but one day is for the owner.’ The unveil and confrontation
During the course of the relationship, Elsa had always felt something was not right, but she couldn’t pinpoint it until one day, a mutual friend of hers and Odalo reached out.
Elsa narrated the conversation she had with her friend:
“She said she saw that I tweeted something about how one of my friends has a heart condition and that she just put two and two together and that it is the picture of the person I tweeted about. She sent me a picture of Odalo, and I confirmed it was him. She then said okay, that they went to secondary school together, and they just found out he was a scam, and some boys in secondary school had gone to confront him.”
After the revelation, Elsa waited for Odalo to confess his fraudulent nature to her, but he never did. Suspecting he may never be honest, she confronted him. Upon the confrontation, Odalo wrote her an epistle:
“Hey Elsa.
“It has taken me exactly 2 days to compose this note for you. Firstly, I want to start by letting you know that you're an amazing woman and you're doing really well and I 100% believe in you and I'm proud of you. You're headed to the top and you're a queen.
“Secondly, it's been a week now since I really messed up and hurt you. I want to apologize deeply for that again. I hurt myself in the process too. I did a bad thing and I'm really sorry about it. I can't imagine how you have felt this past week because of my actions. I can't imagine the different emotions that you've passed through this past week because of me. When I think about it, I cringe so bad and I have shed tears for it. I can't imagine how disappointed you are in me. When I think about that it makes me really sad and unhappy. I miss you a lot. I know we've been talking but I really miss you ( you know what I mean).
“I can't change what I did and that's messing me up. I can only do better and show you that I'm not the disappointment you feel I am. I have typed and deleted so many things trying to form this note for days and I'm hoping I'm choosing the right words. I'm so confused, I don't know if I should give you some space or hold on to you. I'm scared if I give you some space that would be the end. I mean this from every inch of me when I say;
“I don't want to lose you. You're an amazing woman. I deeply care about you and love you. Yes, I love you I'm not going to say otherwise cos of what I did. I really do. I really really do. Love and care is something I can't fake. I really don't know what exactly is going through your mind but I'm scared and I can totally understand if you don't want me around anymore but I just want to let you know I'm in love with you and I'd do everything I can if you let me. I was praying about this and I told God that I would do everything I can but if my punishment is losing someone I deeply care and love them I would do my best to accept it. I have never been in this situation before so I don't know exactly what to say or how to act.
“Do you want some space from me? Do you want to stop talking to me? Do you want me gone? Do you love me? Do you hate me? Do you feel numb towards me? If you tell me that you want me gone now I promise to respect your decision.
I've thought about it and decides that I owe you that. I don't have a say to how you should react or what decisions you make. I've been hurt this past one week and that was my lowest moment. I know I would never get this low again. I genuinely care about you and love you. You're so beautiful and you can't see the half of it.
“I'm typing random at this moment because I'm going through all types of emotions now and this note is already too long. I still have a lot to say but I'd stop here for now. I love you Elsa. A lot. I'm sorry once again
“From Yours (sic).”
Sigh! What happened next?
Esther stopped sending him money immediately. She also tried to forgive him and stay friends, but she eventually blocked him as more secrets were unveiled.
“He apologised, and I tried to forgive him. He sent me messages and emails. He said he was really desperate at the time because some people were coming for him because of money. I genuinely tried to forgive him. I thought it was a one-off thing, and I was the only woman.
“I tried to move on. I said nothing can happen between us, but we can still be like sort of friends, but the relationship was no longer the same. We weren't texting as often because how I felt about him had drastically changed. I finally blocked him in December because I did not want to have any communication with him again,” she said.
Since Elsa had previously put out a message on social media sourcing funds on his behalf, she deleted the message. She informed people not to send money to the posted account any further. She also exposed him as a con artist.
“He was in my DM too”: Multiple women decried
Odalo appears to use social engineering effectively. He targets women in their 20s who have “entrepreneurs” in their profile or are vendors on Twitter and sends them direct messages. He has contacted over 20 women who fall into the young and rich category. Some of the women he contacted and who shared their stories can be found here, here and here.
His strategies appear identical. He sends a charming message, then claims he has a heart disease or any similar deadly illness. He also shared his sob story with his contacts on WhatsApp.
One of his female friends, Gloria, after learning that he needed “heart surgery,” sent him N10,000.
“I have a story with this guy too. It’s sad mehn. I have known him for a long while as an artist & a friend. I’ll post my last chats I had with him. I sent him money too out of pity,” Gloria said.
Diving deep: What’s Echocardiography, and does Odalo truly have a heart disease?
To gain Elsa’s and some of his victim's trust, Odalo sends an “Echocardiography Report” as evidence that he has a heart disease.
According to the National Library of Medicine, Echocardiography involves using ultrasound to evaluate the structural components of the heart in a minimally invasive strategy. The procedure allows the clinician to obtain real-time sizes, structure, and function of the heart during the cardiac cycle.
Odalo’s Echocardiography Report was allegedly conducted at Lutron Medical Centre.
Since the report had several medical jargon, I contacted a medical practitioner to verify if Odalo’s Echocardiography Report was genuine and if Odalo indeed had a heart disease.
“It's difficult to say without seeing the patient and running another test elsewhere. The result could have been doctored. The ladies need to take him for an independent Echo/ECG test elsewhere to be sure,” the Public Health Medicine specialist, Dr Richard Ogunlusi, said.
Knowing there was little chance for Odalo to present himself for an independent health test, I contacted Lutron Medical Centre, where Odalo had allegedly taken the report and whose letterhead carried the result.
The medical centre, located at EDPA Estate, Plot 75 19Th St, Uselu 300103, Benin City, Edo. Image source: Hospital’s website.
The HR Manager of the private healthcare Lotachukwu Ezeanom, after an internal investigation, responded that although the report possibly emanated from their centre, the details have been altered. She further highlighted that the conditions diagnosed do not require surgery.
“The report possibly emanated from the centre but has been altered (date, age, and other parameters possibly) and is, therefore, not authentic. The conditions diagnosed in the report do not require surgery. We never gave anyone an estimated bill of 3.3m for surgery because we do not do heart surgery. Thank you for your concern and also for alerting us,” she said.
Forensic Analysis of Odalo’s “Echocardiography Report” & Findings
The thing with technology is that it is accessible and can be used for good or evil. There are various editing tools that scammers can employ to manipulate an image. Some of them include Photoshop and Affinity Photo. Documents can also be altered using modern apps with powerful personalisation options like Almanac.
So, to ascertain if Odalo forged his echocardiography report, I sent the image to DUBAWA’s researcher and open-source intelligence expert, Elizabeth Ogunbamowo, for analysis.
Using the digital tool Forensically to analyse the report, Ms Ogunbawo used the clone detection analysis, which showed that the document contained a lot of noise. Consistent with Lutron’s hospital staff comment, details of the result have been altered at different points, particularly the first page, where Mr Odalo’s details appeared.
A screenshot of the forensic analysis of Odalo’s alleged echocardiography report carried out on Oct. 13, 2023.
“There was neither a signature nor stamp on the document to ascertain the document had originated from the medical centre. The date the test was carried out was either missing or unclear, as some parts of the documents were blurred out. In his document, there were plenty of touches.” Ms Ogunbamowo noted.
Odalo’s action is Romance Fraud, and Here’s Why
After investigating the authenticity of Odalo’s “heart result” from Lutron Medical Centre, and forensically, it is apparent that the document he presents as evidence is forged, and his “heart surgery” story is also fabricated.
However, when I asked Elsa if she reported the case to the authorities, she responded:
“I have not attempted to report him to the authorities because, technically, he did not steal from me. I gave him the money freely.”
Elsa and many people may not realise that Odalo’s gesture is textbook “romance fraud.” His strategies are consistent with advance fee fraud, from contacting her via social media to gaining her trust, sending romantic messages, telling lies about an illness, and receiving money in bits.
A 2016 study prepared by academic experts for the Criminology Research Advisory Council states:
Romance fraud is a form of advance fee fraud in that small up-front payments are sought in return for a promised romantic relationship. Having developed trust and rapport with the victim online (through dating websites or other social media), throughout the ‘relationship’, victims are asked to send amounts of money to their prospective ‘partner’ for a variety of reasons, which can include illness, criminal justice matters or travel costs to visit (Rege 2009). This type of crime is particularly insidious as the victim not only loses money but also grieves the loss of the promised relationship (Whitty &Buchanan 2012).
Unfortunately, the Nigerian constitution does not define romance fraud or make specific provisions.
“I can never be a (romance) scam victim” – Not according to the EFCC
Anyone can be a victim of fraud regardless of age, gender or intellect. Aptly put, Nigeria’s Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) said:
“It is an illusion for anyone to believe that it is impossible to fall victim to fraud. Scammers everywhere are incredibly deceptive and can ensnare even the most intelligent amongst us. They operate with guile and strike when you least expect.
“The most educated and the high net worth as well as the most impoverished members of the society have been victims at one time or another. The young as well as the aged have been targeted. Scammers do not care who their victims are. They strike wherever and whenever they believe they have the chance to succeed. They are ever alert, setting traps to ensnare their victims. On the internet, through the telephone and even physical interaction, they stalk their prey like the deadly predators that they are.”
However, to mitigate the chances of being a victim, the commission advised everyone to be vigilant. Other tips shared are that people should:
Double-check every piece of information they are given in any business or social relationship.
Be very circumspect about stories told by strangers and supposed lovers in an internet affair.
Never part with money until they are 100 per cent certain that the person or business is genuine.
Seeking Justice as a Romance Scam Victim
Although Elsa would rather forget the whole ordeal, and the Nigerian constitution does not make provisions for “romance fraud,” there is room for victims to seek justice in the country.
I spoke to Nigerian lawyer Barrister Ifiok Uko, who said:
“Breach of promise to marry in Nigeria is a sueable civil matter. In such circumstances, the party that breached the contract will seek damage as a civil matter of simple breach of contract. There must be fundamental elements of the contract, e.g. intention, capacity, and consideration.”
He further shared that when the case is proven, the court grants damages according to the judge’s discretion.
The EFCC has also arrested and arraigned some suspected romance scammers. Some of the stories can be found here and here.
“Now I don't give anybody anything”: The ripple effect of Odalo’s actions on his victims psychic
Elsa was embarrassed by the ordeal and has experienced severe mental and emotional stress. She said to me:
“The incident happened over a year ago, but then, I was actually very ashamed to contact anybody. Even till now, when the story has come out, everybody has been like, ‘How can you be so foolish to give someone your money?’
“Right now, I don't give anybody anything. I don’t care who you are; I don't even care what's wrong with you. When I see sick people or beggars on the road, I don’t give anybody anything at all. I don’t believe anybody.
“Sometimes I have panic attacks because this is someone I let get really close to me, and I get anxious; what if he comes to Lagos to look for me or something like that? There is a lot of panic surrounding the situation, so I usually try to forget about it and move on.”
“I also lock my DMs. I don't accept DMs from anybody. I am also very cautious when a guy messages me,” Elsa said.
The shame Elsa feels is consistent with the effect of victim-blaming, a plague women typically face in society when they are victims of male violence. Rather than clamouring for justice, they will likely be further shamed and blamed, thereby adding to their trauma.
For Gloria, who sent Odalo N10,000, she said:
“People like this (Odalo) make you question being a good person.”
Dr Ola Ibigbami, mental health specialist and public health advocate, advised that victims who have suffered from romance scams can deal with the aftermath by focusing on their well-being, noting red flags for future occurrence, and surrounding themselves with supportive people.
“Seek your well-being first by taking time out to heal, spend quality time with good people, not necessarily the opposite sex, believe that other relationships will come with good benefits, and have a checklist of what you really want in a relationship and don’t compromise!,” said Dr Ibigbami.
“The other side of the story”
As for Odalo, I contacted him via multiple channels for his comment on the incident. He cut the calls I put through to him. He failed to respond to my message or email. He has also since deactivated his account “@metaphourr,” on Twitter.
Amidst the mask and lies, who is Odalo?
Odalo seems to be a chameleon with many faces. It is not certain who he truly is, as he shares different stories with multiple women. However, according to public records, Odalo is from Edo state, Benin. He was born on March 9, 1997, and attended MMAS from JJS 1 to JJS 3. He then attended Uniben Demonstration Secondary School (UDSS) from SS1 to SS3.
His occupation appears to be a “scam artist”, and he wears a turtle neck, which is fast becoming “the symbol of fraud”.
(Famous con artists like Elizabeth Holmes Ana Delvey, Simon Leviev, Gloria Igberaese, and Muyiwa Folorunsho have all worn and posed with similar blouses.)
Like some of his predecessors, the 26-year-old dreams of being on the Forbes list, and his favourite colour is black. He finds the dark shade endearing “because it hides and creates a smokescreen for things.”
Although it's been a year since Odalo scammed Elsa, his target of vulnerable young and entrepreneurial women for sinister purposes continues.
This is why I have written this report to shed light on his dark motives with the hope that no other woman becomes a victim of Nigeria’s latest Twitter swindler.
Simbiat Bakare is an investigative journalist and Women’s rights activist. She resides in Lagos, Nigeria.