EFCC on the Rampage
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC takes its fight of arresting Suspected Internet Fraudsters to the North
By Ovie Edomi
It is a popular slogan that many days for the thieves, one day for the owner. This slogan is playing itself out in Northern Nigeria where some internet fraudsters considered as a safe heaven for their nefarious activities over the years.
In September, operatives of the Sokoto Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested thirteen (13) suspected internet fraudsters in Sokoto, Sokoto State.
They were arrested precisely on Saturday, September 28, 2024 at Gidan Yaro and Dandima areas of Sokoto based on actionable intelligence on their suspected involvement in internet-related offences.
All the suspects claimed to be students of Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto. Earlier, Operatives of the Abuja Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, September 18, 2024 arrested 29 suspected internet fraudsters.
They were arrested at several locations in the Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT following credible intelligence about their suspected involvement in internet fraud. 32 phones of different types were recovered from them.
Dele Oyewale Head Media and Publicity of EFCC said all the suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
Similarly, Justice Hauwa’u Bubari of the Federal High Court, sitting in Kaduna has convicted and sentenced the duo of Audu Ishida and Elisha Smith to six years imprisonment for fraud.
They were prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC on a separate-count charge, bordering on impersonation, retention of proceeds of fraud and money laundering.
Smith’s charge reads: “That you Elisha Smith (m) sometime in May, 2024, in Jos South, Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, retained the total sum of N808,234.02 (Eight Hundred and Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and Thirty-four Naira Two Kobo only), in your account no.9030090284, domiciled at Palmpay Bank Ltd with account name: Elisha Smith Anzaina which you knew that such fund forms part of proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition)Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
That of Ishida reads: “That you Audu Ishida (Baddie Kylemili) on or about the 2nd of June, 2024 in Jos, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, retained the total sum of $50 U.S from your victim, which you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of an unlawful act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition)Act,2022 and punishable under Section 20(b) of the same Act.”
They pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, M.E Eimonye to urge the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
After listening to the plea of the defence counsel, the judge convicted and sentenced Smith to four years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira), while he convicted and sentenced Ishida to two years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N400,000 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira). Beside their prison terms, they forfeited their mobile phones, a Samsung Galaxy S10e and one Oppo F1s. Both convicts were arrested in Jos, Plateau State, following intelligence that linked them with fraudulent internet activities.
Also, the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, September 19, 2024, arraigned Hamza Dauda Umar, Abdulrahman Goni, and Abdulmutalib Abdullahi before Justice Muhammad Maina of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri, for fraud.
The trio were docked on a twelve-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, using forged documents as genuine, false information and forgery to the tune of N3,300,000.00 (Three Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira only).
Count five of the charge reads: “That you, Hamza Dauda Umar, Abdulrahman Goni, and Abdulmutalib Abdullahi and Bashir Dawud (now at large) on or about December, 2023 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did agree amongst yourselves to do an illegal act, to wit: mischief and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 59 and 60 of the Borno State Penal Code Law and other matters connected therewith (No. 3 Vol. 48 Law 2023) respectively.”
The Defendants pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, S.O Saka and Faruk Muhammad to pray the court to fix a trial date.
Justice Maina thereafter, adjourned the matter till September 25, 2024, for trial and remanded the defendants in Maiduguri Correctional Centre.
In another development, Justice Muhammad Maina of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri has remanded Ahmed Saleh Mubi and Goni Bukar Ali in Maiduguri Corectional Centre.
The Defendants were arraigned on Thursday, September 19, 2024, by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a one- count separate charges for criminal misappropriation to the tune of N21,961,200( Twenty One Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty one Thousand, Two Hundred Naira only).
The charge against Mubi reads: “That you Ahmed Saleh Mubi, between December, 2019 to March 2020 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, offered to sell CFA 45,000.00 to one Abdulkarim Mohammed Saleh at the cost of N20,975,200.00 and you also collected 14 Motorcycles valued at N324,000.00 from the said Abdulkarim Mohammed Saleh for you to sell and remit the proceed to him, did dishonestly misappropriate the sum of N19,691,200 (Nineteen Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-One Thousand, Two Hundred Naira) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Cap.102 Laws of Borno State of Nigeria and Punishable under Section 309 of the same Law .”
The count against Ali reads: “That you Goni Bukar Ali, between 2015 to 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, being entrusted with certain property to wit: N2,270,000.00 (Two Million, Two Hundred Thousand and Seventy Thousand Naira) belonging to one Modu Kime, as his Investment in the business of buying and selling of grains and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 and punishable under section 312 of the Penal Code Cap. 102 Laws of Borno State of Nigeria and Punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to their separate changes when they were read to them and prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, S.O Saka and Faruk Muhammad prayed the court for trial date.
Justice Maina, afterwards adjourned the matter for trial and remanded the defendants in Maiduguri Correctional Centre.