Makurdi courts jail 21 Internet fraudsters

Nkereuwem Effiong

Justices A. Ikpambese, T.A. Igoche, W.I.Kpocho, and T.A.Kume of the Benue State High Court sitting in Makurdi have imposed jail sentences on twenty-one (21) internet fraudsters. The sentences vary in length.

They were jailed on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. They pleaded guilty to one count of separate charges bordering on internet-related offences. The Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arraigned them. This event occurred on June 4, 2025.

Head, Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, on Wednesday, 4 June 2025, made a statement. He said the convicts are Mohammed Hameed Jimoh, Henry Temitope Abosede, and Alonge Boluwatife Adebiyi. Michael Ayomide Emmanuel, AbdulKareem Murtala Abiodun, Ayedele Israel, and Oladele Temitope Peace are also convicts. Others include Dennis Chijoke Raphael, Chisom Evans Okonkwo, Michael Faith Damilola, Oguntoye Elijah Timilehin, and Hezekiah Ayomide Owoeye. Additionally, Happiness Opeyemi Atolagbe, Ismail Abidemi Abdulwakil, Michael Nanakaa, and Dominic Felix are also mentioned.

Others are: Jamiu Abdulwakil Muhammed, Nasirudeen Babatunde, Olarewaju Mohammed Adeshina, Hannah Yakubu and Oludare Fatilewa Samson.

The charge against Dominic Felix read: “You, Dominic Felix “M,” committed an offense. This occurred between 1st January 2025 and 14th May 2025. This occurred in Makurdi Benue State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court. You had in your possession a document containing false pretence. The document included a fictitious gmail account: nikitakuzmanagement 92@gmail.com and diplomdticshippingcompany44@gmail.com. The profile name was “Nikata,” a dancer from the United States of America. Therefore, you committed an offence contrary to Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006. This is punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

Charges against Chisom Evans Okonkwo reads: “That you Chisom Evans Okonkwo committed an offence in the year 2024 and 2025. This took place in Makurdi, Benue State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court. To wit: cheating by personation. You falsely presented yourself as one Chad Kroeger, a musician from the United States of America. Through Instagram and Facebook accounts, you used a fake identity. You cheated one Cynthia Spivey and Mary, a citizen of America. They were cheated out of the sum of N3,610,000 (Three Million Six Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira). The amount was converted to naira and sent to your Opay account number 91599611323. You thereby committed an offence. This is contrary to Section 323 of the Penal Code (CAP124) BNSL 2 of 1976. It is punishable under Section 323 of the same law.”

All the defendants pleaded “guilty” when the charges were read to them. This prompted 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. They were sentenced to one year imprisonment or an option of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) each.   Felix bagged two years in jail or a 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. Muhammed was convicted and sentenced to one and a half years (18) months. He has an option of N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) fine.

The judges ordered that all the convicts forfeit their laptops, computers, and phones. They must also forfeit the sums of money in their bank accounts to the federal government.

The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre began. They were arrested by operatives of the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the EFCC for internet offences.  They were charged in court and jailed.