Justices. A. Ikpambese, T.A.Igoche, W.I.Kpocho and T.A.Kume of the Benue State High court sitting in Makurdi have jailed twenty one( 21) internet fraudsters to various jail terms.
They were jailed on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 after pleading guilty to one -count separate charges bordering on internet- related offences upon being arraigned by the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on June 4, 2025.
The convicts are: Mohammed Hameed Jimoh, Henry Temitope Abosede, Alonge Boluwatife Adebiyi, Micheal Ayomide Emmanuel, AbdulKareem Murtala Abiodun, Ayedele Israel, Oladele Temitope Peace, Dennis Chijoke Raphael, Chisom Evans Okonkwo, Micheal Faith Damilola, Oguntoye Elijah Timilehin, Hezekiah Ayomide Owoeye, Happiness Opeyemi Atolagbe, Ismail Abidemi Abdulwakil, Micheal Nanakaa and Dominic Felix.
Others are: Jamiu Abdulwakil Muhammed, Nasirudeen Babatunde, Olarewaju Mohammed Adeshina, Hannah Yakubu and Oludare Fatilewa Samson.
The charge against Dominic Felix reads: “That you, Dominic Felix ” M” sometime between 1st January 2025 and 14th May 2025 in Makurdi Benue State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, had in your possession a document containing false pretence to wit, fictitious gmail account nikitakuzmanagement 92@gmail.com and diplomdticshippingcompany44@gmail.com with profile name “Nikata” a dancer from United States of America and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Charges against Chisom Evans Okonkwo reads: “that you Chisom Evans Okonkwo sometime in the year 2024 and 2025 in Makurdi, Benue State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence to wit: cheating by personation, wherein you falsely presented yourself as one Chad Kroeger, a musician from the United States of America vide instagram and facebook accounts in such a fake identity cheated one Cynthia Spivey and Marry a citizen of America the sum of N3,610,000 ( Three Million Six Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira) the amount which was converted to naira and sent to your Opay account number 91599611323 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 323 of the Penal Code ( CAP124) BNSL 2 of 1976 and punishable under Section 323of the same Law.”
All the defendants pleaded “guilty” when the charges were read to them, prompting EFCC counsel to pray the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Jimoh, Abosede, Adebiyi, Emmanuel, Israel, Peace, Raphael, Babatunde, Okonkwo, Adeshina, Samson, Damilola, Elijah, Atolagbe, Abdulwakil, Timilehin and Hannah were convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment or an option of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) each. Felix bagged two years in jail or N100, 000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine
Abiodun and Israel bagged two years imprisonment or an option of N100,000.00( One Hundred Thousand Naira) as fine each while Muhammed was convicted and sentenced to one and half years ( 18) months with an option of N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) fine.
The judges ordered that all the convicts forfeit their laptops computers, phones and sums of money in their bank accounts to the federal government.
The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre began when they were arrested by operatives of the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the EFCC for internet offences. They were charged to court and jailed.
