The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of 11 individuals, including a 20-year-old electrician, for offences bordering on internet fraud and cybercrime.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, disclosed that the convicts were prosecuted before Justices Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Ilorin, and Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court.
Among the convicts is Mathew Stephen Yaba, an electrician, who was sentenced to nine months in prison without the option of fine. The court found him guilty of personation and illegal retention of proceeds from cybercrime amounting to N7,384,750. Yaba was also convicted of impersonating one Raleigh Jredd and was ordered to forfeit his iPhone 13 and N200,000 to the Federal Government.
Samuel Stephen Ayomide, another convict, was jailed for nine months without the option of fine after pleading guilty to defrauding one Faith Jackson of $922 via a Telegram account named “CPN Goat”. He was ordered to forfeit $535 and an iPhone 16 to the government.
Others convicted include:
Bamidele Favour Olajide, a music producer from Kogi State, sentenced to six months imprisonment and forfeiture of an iPhone X, Samsung A05, and $50.
Isah Kadiri received 300 hours of community service and forfeited his Infinix Hot 10 Light.
Samuel Peter Juwon was handed a 12-month jail term with forfeiture of multiple gadgets and $500.
Omolaiye Stephen Benefit bagged nine months without the option of fine and forfeited his phones and N1 million.
Kayode Emmanuel Opeyemi was sentenced to six months imprisonment and forfeited his phone and N500,000.
Abdulrahim Lasisi was given 150 hours of community service and forfeited a Samsung S9.
Ugwuadu Ikechukwu Michael received 12 months in prison, forfeiting N500,000 and his device.
Moshood Abduljawad got six months imprisonment and forfeited $190 and his phone.
The only convict tried before the Kwara State High Court, Abdulrasaq Jubril, a spare parts dealer from Ilorin, received a six-month suspended sentence. He was ordered to forfeit his iPhone 12 and $180, and pay an additional $110.
All the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges, and the court upheld the EFCC’s cases based on their confessional statements, recovered items, and restitution amounts presented during trial.
The EFCC reiterated its commitment to ridding the country of internet fraud and cyber-related offences.
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