Internet fraudsters jailed in Calabar, Kaduna

By Ayorinde Oluokun

Six alleged internet fraudsters have been sentenced to various jail terms in Cross River and Kaduna States after they pleaded guilty to separate charges filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Five of the internet fraudsters were convicted by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court on Tuesday July 22, 2025, after pleading guilty to separate charges bordering on criminal impersonation on the internet, preferred against them by the Uyo Zonal Directorate of EFCC.

The convicts are: Okon Dennis Akpan, Franklin Agara Mbeh, Peter Chinedu Okpaga, Nwofoke Celestine and Paul Egede Chinedu.

One of the charges reads: ‘that you, Nwofoke Celestine “M” sometime in 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court did fraudulently impersonate Victoria Chiara on Facebook with the intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2)(b) (i ) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, prevention) Act 2015 and punishable under the same Section’.

The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them by the Commission, and in view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, Temiloluwa Oladipupo reviewed the facts of the case and urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

Justice Ojukwu immediately convicted and sentenced each of them to six months jail term and a fine of One Million Naira (N1,000,000.00) each

They forfeited all items used in committing the crimes to the Federal Government.

On the other hand, Justice R.M Aikawa of the Federal High Court, sitting in Kaduna convicted and sentenced Musa Yakubu who was arraigned on a one-count charge, bordering on impersonation and cybercrime by EFCC.

The charge reads: “That you, Musa Yakubu (a.k.a T.S Malofinha), Male, sometime in February, 2025 in Shiroro Minna, Niger State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one T.S Malofinha (a citizen of Carlifornia, United States of America) on Facebook (an online social media application), with intent to gain advantage to yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(b)(i) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.”

He pleaded “guilty to the charge, following which the prosecution counsel, F.A.I. Asemebo prayed the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.

Justice Aikawa, thereafter, convicted and sentenced him to three years imprisonment or to pay N400,000.00 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited his iPhone 13 Pro max, being the tool of his crime to the federal government.

The convict was among those arrested in Shiroro, Minna, Niger State, following intelligence that exposed their fraudulent internet activities.