Multiple Sentences Handed to Internet Fraudsters in Bauchi and Yola

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has presented eighteen internet fraudsters before the courts in Bauchi and Yola, resulting in various prison sentences.

Before Justices Aminu Garba and Aisha A. Ibrahim of the Federal High Courts in Bauchi, as well as Justice Ahmed Isa of the Adamawa High Court in Yola, the individuals were convicted for their crimes.

The defendants’ names include 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, Godiya Simon, Noble Max, Perfect Nuhu, Agbande A. Bature, Fred Omale, and Yasar Usman Hamman. They were charged with fraudulent impersonation over the months of November and December 2024 by the EFCC’s Gombe Zonal Directorate.

A specific case involved Chimieze Alajemba, who was accused of impersonating an American citizen named John Miller via fraudulent Facebook and Gmail accounts, ultimately securing $700 unlawfully. This infringement violates the Cybercrimes Act of 2015.

All defendants pleaded guilty to their respective allegations.

Prosecutors S.M. Aliyu, A. Aliyu, and J.D. Tortema sought strict convictions, while defense lawyers requested leniency based on the offenders’ remorse.

On December 11, 2024, Justice Garba sentenced Emmanuel Pontiff to seven months in prison but allowed the option to pay a fine of N130,000. Fred Omale received a similar fine of N170,000 in lieu of a seven-month imprisonment. On December 10, 2024, Fumi Joshua, Joseph Yagat Baye, and Mishack Daniel were also given the option of a N170,000 fine or seven months in prison.

Ibrahim Yusuf and Jeremiah Pam Samuel opted for a fine of N100,000 instead of jail time, while Jerry Moses, Emmanuel Shadrach, and Shikaan Martin’s each faced seven months of imprisonment, with a fine of N130,000 available.

Justice Aisha Ibrahim, on December 10, 2024, imposed a six-month jail term or a N250,000 fine on Nathan Timothy Aruku, Femi Johnson Adelowo, Chimieze Alajemba, and Jeremiah Pam Samuel. On November 28, 2024, Godiya Simon, Noble Max, Agbande A. Bature, and Perfect Nuhu were sentenced to six months in prison or a fine of N150,000 each.

In Yola, Justice Ahmed Isa convicted Yasar Usman Hamman on December 10, 2024, for cheating via impersonation. He was found guilty of misleading potential investors into a cryptocurrency scheme under false pretenses.

This act is categorized as a cheating attempt through impersonation according to Adamawa’s Penal Code and is punishable by law.