18 Yahoo Boys jailed in Bauchi, Adamawa as courts crack down on cybercrime

Stanley Ihedigbo

Justices Aminu Garba and Aisha A. Ibrahim of the Federal High Court 1 and 2, sitting in Bauchi, Bauchi State, have convicted and sentenced 17 internet fraudsters to various jail terms, even as Justice Ahmed Isa of the Adamawa State High Court, sitting in Yola equally jailed another internet fraudster.

According to the Head, Media, and Publicity, Economics Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Dele Oyewale, the convicts are: Fumi Joshua, Nathan Timothy Aruku, Femi Johnson Adelowo, Chimieze Alajemba, Jeremiah Pam Samuel, Emmanuel Shadrach, Ibrahim Yusuf, Shikaan Martin’s, Mishack Daniel, Jerry Moses, Joseph Yagat Baye, Emmanuel pontiff

Others are Godiya Simon, Noble Max, Perfect Nuhu and Agbande A.Bature, Fred Omale, and Yasar Usman Hamman.

They were separately arraigned on a one- count separate charges of fraudulent personation by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Commission between November and December 2024

The charge against Chimieze Alajemba reads: “That you Chimieze Alajemba sometime in November 2024 at Bauchi, Bauchi State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court fraudulently impersonate one John Miller, an American national by creating and operating fake Facebook and Gmail account with a profile name ” johnmiller366 and johnmiller264.6431,2@gmail.com and in process gained to your advantage the gross sum of $700 thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2) (b) of Cybercrimes ( Prohibition Prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) (vi) of same Act

All the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges when they were read to them in court, prompting the prosecution counsel, SM Aliyu, A. Aliyu, and JD Tortema to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. However, counsels to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy stressing that they have become remorseful for their actions.

Justice Garba, on December 11, 2024, convicted and sentenced Pontiff to seven months imprisonment with an option of a N130,000 fine, and Omale is to pay N170,000 instead of a seven-month jail term.

On December 10, 2024, the judge convicted and sentenced Joshua, Bayi, and Daniel to seven months imprisonment or a fine of N170,000 each.

Yusuf and Samuel are to pay a fine of N100,000 each instead of a month’s jail term, and Moses, Shadrach, and Martin were sentenced to seven months imprisonment with an option of a fine of N130,000 each.

Justice Aisha Ibrahim, on December 10, 2024, convicted and sentenced Aruku, Adelewo, Alajemba, and Pam to six months imprisonment or a fine of N250,000 each.

Also, on November 28, 2024, the judge convicted and sentenced Simon, Max Bature, and Nuhu to six months imprisonment with an option of a fine of N150,000 each.

The judges ordered the forfeiture of the convicts’ mobile phones recovered during the investigation and being proceeds of crime to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre began following their arrest by operatives of the Gombe Zonal directorate of the Commission based on actionable intelligence regarding their involvement in computer-related fraud.

In a related development, the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the commission, has secured the conviction of one internet fraudster, Yasar Usman Hamman, before Justice Ahmed Isa of the High Court sitting in Yola, Adamawa State.

Hamman was arraigned on December 10, 2024, on a one-count charge of cheating by personation by the Gombe Zonal Directorate.

The charge reads: that you Yasar Usman Hamman sometime in 2024 at the Sangere area of Modibbo Yola, Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this honorable court whilst impersonating benricothetrader, attempted to cheat by enticing one Morgan and other unsuspecting foreign nationals to invest their money in your cryptocurrency platform with intent to defraud them, an attempt to cheat by impersonation contrary to Section 59 and punishable under Section 315 of the Adamawa State Penal Code Law 2018.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge, prompting prosecution counsel Saad H.Saad to ask the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly. However, counsel to the defendant pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.

Justice Isa thereafter convicted and sentenced Hamman to ten years imprisonment with an option of a fine of N200,000.

The court also ordered that the iPhone X used in the commission of the offence be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The convict’s journey to the Correctional Centre began sometime in September 2024 when the Commission received an intelligence alleging that some syndicate of cyber-related fraudsters between the ages of 18-30 years residing in the Sangere area of Madibbo, Yola, Adamawa State, were defrauding innocent victims. Hamman was thereafter arrested, prosecuted, and convicted.