A 43-year-old Nigerian man, Abimbola David, has been arrested by UK authorities following accusations of inappropriate online conversations with a 14-year-old girl.
Abimbola, who lives in the UK on a student visa and is married with two children, was taken into custody after the teenager provided evidence to police, revealing messages that allegedly crossed legal boundaries.
The case has attracted significant attention after it was reported by the organization Saving Our Children’s Futures, which works to protect minors from online predators.
According to the organization, Abimbola was using a dating app where he encountered the young girl and engaged in conversations that later led to his arrest.
The girl reported Abimbola’s interactions with her to the authorities, providing chat records that detailed his requests and inappropriate comments.
Abimbola, in his defense, claimed he was unaware of the girl’s actual age.
In a recorded interrogation with UK authorities, he expressed disbelief, saying he did not expect to find a minor on the dating platform.
“I met her on a dating app,” he explained, visibly shaken. “I was surprised I could meet a little girl on the app. I was just there to calm myself when I’m bored.”
Abimbola asserted that he had no malicious intentions and that he had assumed the girl was above the age of 18, as dating apps typically require users to be adults.
The interrogation video shows Abimbola attempting to explain the messages he sent to the girl, claiming he wanted proof of her age.
“I asked her [for those images] to see if she was a child or not. That was why I asked her,” he said. “I don’t deal with minors. If she had sent me those pictures, I would delete them.”
However, Abimbola’s claims have sparked outrage, with child safety advocates questioning his intentions and emphasizing the dangers of adults engaging with minors on social media and dating platforms.
While the dating app initially indicated the girl’s age as 18, authorities say the girl later disclosed her true age during their conversations.
Abimbola, however, claimed he did not take her statement seriously and continued to interact with her.
“I thought it was just for fun,” he admitted. “I am 43, but I told her I was 24. It’s a dating app, and they fake their age. She said she was 18, as they won’t allow you on the app unless you are 18 and above.”
UK police have underscored that, regardless of initial assumptions, once the girl stated her real age, Abimbola’s continued interaction with her became a serious legal issue.
Abimbola further defended himself by saying that if he had intended to abuse the child, he would have acted differently.
“If I wanted to abuse a child, I would send her my home address,” he said. “I have never done that in my life. I was just saying all that for nothing’s sake.”
Yet, these explanations have failed to quell public criticism and concern over how platforms can be used to exploit young users, even when age verification mechanisms are in place.
