Justices Kayanson Samuel Lawanson, Hammed Isha, Benjamin Manji Lawal and Mohammed Ibrahim Tola of the Adamawa State High Court, Adamawa State have  convicted and sentenced twelve  internet fraudsters to various jail terms.

The convicts include, Oladele Pius, Emmanuel Bulus, Elijah Elisha, Alamin Mohammed Bappa, Jamilu Usman and Enoch Solomon.

The rest are Emmanuel Anthony, Enebeli  Samuel Israel, Dimas Hyellabulatin, Emmanuel Dike , Joshua Umoru and Dan Eden Sunday.

They were separately arraigned between November 6 and 7, 2024  on a one count charge of cheating and impersonation by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

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The charge against Alamin Muhammad Bappa reads: “Alamin Muhammad Bappa sometimes in September, 2024 at Sangere area of Modibo Yola, Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud one Amity Shane and other unsuspecting foreign nationals, created some fake Gmail’ and Facebook accounts using the name Jacob sermon to pose as a cybersecurity professional that helps people to recover their compromised or blocked Facebook accounts for a service fee of $20 each and thereby committed an offense of cheating by impersonation contrary to Section 314 of Penal Code Law of Adamawa State, 2018 and punishable under Section 315 of the same law”.

The charge against Oladele Pius reads: “ that you Oladele Pius sometimes in September, 2024 in Yola, Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, being a student of Modibo Adamawa University of Technology Yola, with intent to defraud, did cheat by Impersonation, Having created and operating one Mr. Legit Hassan Abbadin a foreign national with Whatsapp account No. +1 (842) 921332016, through your Your iphone 11 Model No. MWNC2CH/A for ” a virtual funds transactions” with a motive of gaining a financial advantage from other unsuspecting internet users  and thereby committed an offense of cheating by impersonation contrary to Section 314 of Penal Code Law of Adamawa State, 2018 and punishable under Section 315 of the  same law.

Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges, prompting prosecution counsel Saad .H Sa’ad and M.D Aliyu to pray the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly; however, counsels to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.

Justice Lawanson thereafter convicted and sentenced  Bulus , Elisha, Usman and Israel to ten years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) each. However, Hyellabulati bagged five years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000.

Justice Tola convicted and sentenced Dike, Umoru, Sunday and Pius to five years imprisonment with an option of fine of N2,000,000 (Two Million Naira) each.

Justice Lawal convicted and sentenced Bappa and Solomon to five years imprisonment or a fine of  N200,000 each.

Justice Isha convicted and sentenced Anthony to ten years imprisonment or a fine of  N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira).

The Judges ruled that the mobile phones recovered during investigation be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria .

In addition, Justice Lawal ordered that the sum of $20 recovered during investigation from Bappa and being  proceeds of crime, be returned to the victim.

The convicts were arrested  on September 24, 2024 around Modibo Adamawa University of Technology area of Yola, Adamawa State by  operatives of the Commission  following actionable intelligence linking them with cybercrimes activities. They were charged to court and convicted.

On Friday, a violent incident erupted in Onitsha, Anambra State, when an irate mob set two revenue touts ablaze after they were allegedly responsible for causing the death of an innocent bystander.

The incident took place along Old Market Road, near Venn Road by Egerton, when a tipper driver, who was reportedly being chased by the revenue agents, lost control of his vehicle.

As the touts grabbed the steering wheel, the driver veered off the road, running over and killing a pedestrian instantly.

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A disturbing video of the event, circulating on social media, shows the mob attacking the two revenue agents with various objects before setting them on fire.

Four other touts managed to escape the scene unscathed.

A witness to the chaos, who recorded the incident, described what transpired: “There was chaos in Onitsha this morning as angry mob set ablaze two revenue touts, while four others were lucky to escape.

“The touts were chasing the driver over a fee, and in the process, the tipper lost control, killing a pedestrian.”

Local residents and traders expressed outrage over the incident, blaming the revenue collectors for the tragedy.

One trader said, “Onitsha was hot this morning at Egerton by Old Market Road. The revenue men were dragging the steering with a tipper driver because he refused to give them a bribe.

“In the process, the vehicle ran over an innocent man, and seeing the result of their actions, they tried to flee. But the angry people chased and caught two of them.”

The victim, who was struck and killed by the vehicle, has yet to be officially identified, but reports indicate that he was a well-known figure in the community.

The tragic event has reignited long-standing frustrations with the activities of revenue collectors in the state, with many calling for immediate reforms.

One local resident lamented, “These revenue touts have killed more people than non-state actors in the last two years.”

In response to the incident, Anambra State Police Command spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the situation and assured that authorities were working swiftly to restore order.

“We are already working with the relevant authorities to ascertain what happened and find an amicable solution to prevent such occurrences in the future,” Ikenga stated.

The police investigation into the incident is ongoing, as officials seek to determine the full details surrounding the fatal accident and the mob violence that followed.

A police officer is reportedly dead and another injured following an attack by unknown gunmen on a police checkpoint in the Ohafia area of Abia State.

The incident, which occurred on Wednesday at Ugwu Abba Asaga, has sparked concerns over the rising wave of insecurity in the region.

The Abia State Police Command has yet to release an official statement regarding the attack. However, when contacted, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka, assured reporters that she would provide updates, but no further details had been shared as of the time of this report.

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This incident is the latest in a series of violent attacks in Abia State. On Monday, the Abia State government accused unnamed politicians and external parties of fueling kidnappings and violence targeting security personnel and civilians since May 2024. In a statement signed by Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, the government vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable.

“The promoters of violence and insecurity in the state will pay a heavy price,” the statement read.

However, John Okiyi Kalu, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Commissioner for Trade and Investment, criticized the government’s position. He argued that insecurity in the state should not be politicized but rather addressed through actionable measures.

The attack has heightened tensions in the state, with citizens calling for swift action to restore peace and ensure the safety of residents and security personnel alike.