In its bid to curb the tide of internet fraud related crimes among the youths, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 33 cybercrime suspects in Ilorin, Kwara State and Maiduguri, Borno State.
Twenty (20) of the suspects were nabbed in Ilorin while the other 13 suspects were arrested in Maiduguri.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction of the trio of Ojomake Daniel, Collins Haruna and Joseph Otache before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court on separate one count charges bordering on cybercrime.
The suspect arrested in Ilorin include Habeeb Abubakar, Abiola Abiodun, Atitebi Samuel, Emmanuel Mofe Oborirhwoho, John Adamson, Mayowa Akinola Victor, Oluwafemi Smith Ola, Abdullahi Isiak, Orji Daniel Roland, Martinson Adegboyega and Kolawole Temidayo.
Others are Orimadegun Bashir Ishola, Tijani Quadri, Adebisi Kazeem, Umar Abdulkareem, Adebisi Teslim, Okunlola Idris Ayomide, Quadri Lekan, Ukueni Great and Adeyeye Usman.
They were arrested at Egbejila, Airport Road and Offa Garage areas of Ilorin following credible intelligence on their alleged criminal activities.
Items recovered from them include different brands of phones, laptops and exotic cars.
Those arrested in Maiduguri include Wilson Akpotaire, Adamu Mohammed, Adetoro Suleiman Opeyemi, Musbahudeen Nurudeen Opeyemi, Bolanle Alhassan Olaitan.
Others are; Joshua Ohaneye, Yusuf Philip, Mohammed Tijjani, Ahmed Andrew, Sangari Halilu Amilah, Maina Matakun, Oshalaiye Augustine and Kefas Nesta Victor.
They were picked up around Tashan Bama Road, Maiduguri, Borno State on Monday, June 5, 2023.
Items recovered include different brands of mobile phones and.
The suspects will be arraigned in court as soon as the investigations are concluded.
The EFCC said in a statement by its Spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, that the convicts were arrested in separate sting operations at Abuja and Zeecool Hotels Barnawa, Kaduna, following actionable intelligence on their alleged cyber-fraud related activities which included impersonating foreigners to defraud victims on the internet.
Their charges read; “ That you, Ojomake Daniel (aka Benjamin Paul) sometime in April, 2023 in Kaduna within the Kaduna Judicial Division of the High Court with intent to defraud, falsely presented yourself as one Benjamin Paul and in such assumed character attempted to cheat one Irian ( a white woman ) through your Facebook and Instagram account and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 57 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.
“That you, Collins Haruna (aka Alan Jackson) sometime in April, 2023 in Kaduna within the Kaduna Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, falsely presented yourself as one Alan Jackson (a citizen of the United States of America) which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 142 (1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.
“That you, Joseph Otache (aka Benjamin Logan) sometime in April, 2023 in Kaduna within the Kaduna Judicial Division of the High Court with intent to defraud, falsely presented yourself as one Benjamin Logan and in such assumed character attempted to cheat unsuspecting members of the public through your Facebook and Instagram account and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 57 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law”.
They all pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them.
The prosecuting counsel, E.K Garba and M.U Gadaka prayed the court to convict them accordingly.
Justice Khobo, convicted and sentenced Daniel and Otache to two years imprisonment with option of fine of N150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) each, while Haruna bagged two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N 100,000.00 ( One Hundred Thousand Naira).
Daniel is also to forfeit one Techno Camon phone while Haruna is to forfeit an iPhone 12 Pro.
Otache was ordered to forfeit an iPhone 7 together with two Vitafoam mattresses, three sets of living room chairs, one mini office table and chair, one fireman generator, one century gas burner, one standing fan and one 55 inch Hisense television, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.