Crime
Adamawa Courts Jail Twelve Internet Fraudsters
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.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has withdrawn the arrest warrant issued against Ezekiel Thankgod, the former manager of renowned gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo.
Biztellers reports that Thankgod is facing allegations of involvement in a $345,000 fraud case.
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The arrest warrant had been issued by Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court on January 16, 2025, following an ex parte application by the EFCC seeking to compel Thankgod’s appearance in court.
During a court session on Friday, EFCC counsel, Mrs. Bilikisu Buhari, applied to withdraw the warrant, stating that the charges had already been served on Thankgod’s lawyer, Mr. Monday Ubani, SAN, during open court proceedings.
She argued that the warrant was no longer necessary.
Justice Owoeye granted the application and formally vacated the bench warrant.
Oba Otudeko, Chairman of Honeywell Group, appeared in the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday to challenge charges of N12.3 billion fraud.
Biztellers reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 13-count indictment against Otudeko, along with Olabisi Onasanya, former Managing Director of FirstBank Plc., Soji Akintayo, a former board member of Honeywell, and Anchorage Leisure Ltd.
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During the proceedings, the defendants’ lawyer, Mr. Bode Olanipekun (SAN), raised an objection, stating that the charge had not been properly served to Otudeko or his co-defendants.
Olanipekun emphasized this issue as a reason for protest in court.
The EFCC has accused the individuals and the company of fraudulently obtaining N12.3 billion under false pretenses.
More to follow………..
Crime
Arrested Boko Haram Suspects: Adeleke Commends Security Operatives, Assures Safety Of Residents
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has commended the personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS), on the successful operation, that led to the arrest of 10 suspected members of Boko Haram/Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Ilesa, Osun State.
Gov Adeleke expressed his feelings in a statement on micro-blogging site, X, on Saturday.
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According to the statement, Gov Adeleke hailed the alertness of security operatives, to eliminate the threats posed by the suspected terrorists, which gives further assurance that our security agencies are up to the task of sustaining peace and security of every part of Nigeria.
He particularly commended the intelligence gathering of the personnel of the State Service, who have painstakingly monitor the activities of the suspected criminals and moved swiftly to cut off their dastardly act.
“This is a welcome development and a big relief, not just for us as a government but to the people of the state and Nigeria in general. I commend the security operatives for their alertness and intelligence driven operation. We have absolute confidence in our security forces to keep protecting us”, Gov Adeleke declared.
He assured that his administration will continue to cooperate with security agencies and support their operations to ensure maximum protection of lives and property of Osun people, noting that this remains top of his priority.
“As the Chief Security Officer of Osun State, I will continue to give priority to issues of security of my people. I will continue to support efforts of security agencies to guard against any breakdown of law and order in any part of Osun. We will sustain the good relationship and collaboration that currently exists between our administration and the security agencies in the state” the Governor noted.
Gov Adeleke enjoined residents of Osun to continue to be watchful, and report any suspicious activity in their neighborhoods to relevant security agency, while assuring that Osun will continue to be a peaceful state under his watch.
“I hereby call on my people to continue to live in peace and harmony and be at alert to report any suspicious activities or behavior around them to the relevant security authorities. Together, we will ensure that Osun remains the most peaceful state in Nigeria” he concluded.
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