Court jails man for five years for ‘Yahoo School’ recruitment

Nkereuwem Effiong

The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of one Goodluck Ejimiyare for recruiting young boys into an internet fraud training syndicate, popularly known as a “Yahoo School”.

Justice (Prof.) C. A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Benin City, on Monday, 20 April 2026, sentenced Ejimiyare to five years’ imprisonment, with an option of a ₦1 million fine.

Ejimiyare was arraigned on 30 March 2026 on an amended one count bordering on conspiracy with one Ebuka Henry Eze, who is currently at large, to commit Internet fraud. He was accused of recruiting youths for operators of a syndicate known as “Hustling Kingdom”.

The charge stated that the defendant, sometime in 2025, conspired to commit computer-related fraud, an offence contrary to Section 27(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), and punishable under Section 22(2)(iv) of the same Act.

The defendant pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him, prompting prosecution counsel, Elodi Immaculate, to urge the court to convict and sentence him accordingly. The court subsequently adjourned for sentencing.

Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Obiozor convicted and sentenced Ejimiyare to five years in prison or a ₦1 million fine. The court also ordered the forfeiture of his mobile phone and directed him to sign an undertaking to be of good behaviour.

Head, Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, noted on Tuesday, 21 April 2026 that the case stemmed from the arrest of 17 youths at the suspected “Yahoo School” by officers of the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade Headquarters, who later handed them over to the EFCC.

During interrogation, several of the suspects reportedly identified Ejimiyare as the person who recruited them into the “Hustling Kingdom” operation.