A Federal High Court in Kano has slammed the gavel on 29 internet fraudsters, sending shockwaves across Nigeria’s cybercrime underworld.
Presiding Justice S.M. Shuaibu didn’t hold back as he handed down stiff prison terms and hefty fines to a syndicate of young scammers convicted of impersonation, cybercrime, money laundering, and retention of crime proceeds.
The convicts, mostly young men with flashy gadgets and foreign cash, pleaded guilty and now face a grim future behind bars or must cough up a fortune to regain their freedom.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), through its Kaduna Zonal Directorate, hunted down the fraudsters one after another, unmasking online aliases and exposing digital trails that linked them to countless victims across the globe.
Among the culprits were: Prosper Godfrey (alias Goodlife001), Igwe Ebenezer Chiwendu, Bolodeoku Daniel, Nduka Samuel Uche, Isaac Omeiza, Obasi Solomon Chimerie, ThankGod Adeniyi, and 22 others. Each had a tale of deceit and digital heist, but the courtroom had no space for excuses.
One of the headline convictions was Prosper Godfrey, who had posed as ‘Goodlife001’ on Facebook to bait and dupe foreign nationals. He now faces jail or must pay a steep N300,000 fine, forfeiting his iPhone 14 Pro Max, a Redmi 13C, and $70.
Igwe Chiwendu was caught red-handed retaining $500 of stolen funds. He got four years in prison or a N500,000 fine and lost a Samsung Galaxy A34 5G and the cash to the federal government.
In a dramatic twist, Simon Omojuyigbe, who went as far as acquiring a motorcycle with his loot, was slammed with a five-year sentence or a N400,000 fine. His iPhone 16 Pro Max, motorcycle, and $320 are now state property.
Others didn’t fare better: Jeremiah Odey slammed with two years or N300,000 fine. Lost iPhone 13 Pro Max, two Airtel routers, and £140.
Daniel Bolodeoku was hit with two years or N400,000 fine. Forfeited iPhone 14 Pro Max, $115, and N500,000.
Joseph Gideon, Meshack Bala, and Joseph Achor, each got four years or N400,000 fines, losing their iPhones and dollar stashes to the state.
Abdulquadri Animasahun and Tijani Emmanuel were sentenced to five years each or N400,000 fines. Among their loot was an iPhone 15 Pro Max and N401,000 cash.
And it didn’t stop there. The court clawed back millions in devices and cash: Bernard Imalegwu gave up his Tecno Pop 7 Pro and $100. Friday Moses lost an iPhone 11 Pro and HP laptops and Adamu Hassan saw his Samsung Galaxy S22, N500,000 and $60 taken.
In the biggest haul yet, Isaac Omeiza surrendered an iPhone 14 Pro Max and $150. Chimerie Obasi gave up an Itel phone and N45,000 in crime proceeds.
The Federal Government now owns a dazzling array of smartphones—ranging from iPhone 11 to 16 Pro Max—motorcycles, laptops, routers, and thousands in foreign currencies, all once used to carry out nefarious schemes online.
