21 internet fraudsters convicted in Benue

Thursday, June 5, 2025 - Justices A. Ikpambese, T.A. Igoche, W.I. Kpocho, and T.A. Kume of the Benue State High Court sitting in Makurdi have convicted and sentenced 21 internet fraudsters to various terms of imprisonment for offences bordering on cybercrime and impersonation.

They were jailed on Wednesday, 4 June 2025, after pleading guilty to one-count separate charges relating to internet-related offences, upon being arraigned by the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on the same day.

The convicts are Mohammed Hameed Jimoh, Henry Temitope Abosede, Alonge Boluwatife Adebiyi, Micheal Ayomide Emmanuel, AbdulKareem Murtala Abiodun, Ayedele Israel, Oladele Temitope Peace, Dennis Chijoke Raphael, Chisom Evans Okonkwo, Micheal Faith Damilola, Oguntoye Elijah Timilehin, Hezekiah Ayomide Owoeye, Happiness Opeyemi Atolagbe, Ismail Abidemi Abdulwakil, Micheal Nanakaa, and Dominic Felix.

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

All the defendants pleaded “guilty” when the charges were read to them, prompting the 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 and sentenced to one year’s imprisonment or an option of a N100,000 fine each. Felix was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of N100,000.

Abiodun and Israel received two years’ imprisonment or an option of a 100,000 fine each, while Muhammed was sentenced to one and a half years with an option of a N150,000 fine.

The judges further ordered that all the convicts forfeit their laptop computers, mobile phones, and funds in their bank accounts to the Federal Government.

The convicts’ journey to the correctional centre began when they were arrested by operatives of the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of EFCC for internet-related offences.