In a firm stance against cybercrime, the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured the conviction of five individuals for fraud-related offences in Kwara State's capital, Ilorin, on Monday .

The convicted offenders Ayinla Abdulmajid, Yusuf Onimisi, Muhammed Eneye, Abdulbasit Abdulmumeen, and Victor Onucheyo Anibe were arraigned before separate courts. Ayinla, Yusuf, and Eneye were sentenced by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, while Abdulmumeen and Anibe faced Justice Sulaiman Akanbi and Justice Haleema Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court.

The EFCC reaffirmed its commitment to combating financial crime, stating that such prosecutions demonstrate the government's resolve to hold cybercriminals accountable and restore public trust in digital transactions.

For instance, the charge against Ayinla reads:

"That you, AYINLA ABIODUN ABDULMAJID (Alias: Micheal Cavezza) sometime between March and May, 2025 within the Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, did fraudently impersonate one Michael Cavezza vide your google hangout account with the intent to obtain from one Kirsty Reid and did obtain the gross sum of $1,003 (One Thousand, Three USD) thereby committed an offence contrary to section 22 (2)(b)(ii) of the cybercrime (prohibition prevention Etc.) Act 2015 and punishable under section 22 (2)(b)(IV) of the same Act."

Similarly, the charge against Yusuf reads:

"That you, YUSUF ABDULAZEEZ ONIMISI (Alias: Mikaylah) sometime between November and December, 2024 within the Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, did fraudently impersonate one Mulan tuition vide your Telegram Account with the intent to obtain from one Phillip Lee whom you obtained $300 (Three Hundred US Dollars) and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 22 (2) (b) (ii) of the cybercrime (prohibition prevention Etc.) Act 2015 and punishable under section 22 (2) (b) (IV) of the same Act"

The defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charge.

Prosecution counsel, Innocent Mbachie, Sesan Ola and Mustapha Kaigama, reviewed the facts of the cases by calling witnesses through whom they tendered the extra-judicial statements of the defendants as well as items recovered from them at the point of arrest.

The lawyers, thereafter, urged the court to convict the defendants based on the unchallenged evidence tendered by the prosecution.

The Justices found merit in the cases and pronounced the convicts guilty accordingly.

In his judgment, Justice Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin sentenced Ayinla to nine months imprisonment without an option of fine and ordered for the forfeiture of the sum of $702 which he benefited from the unlawful activities and one iPhone 14 Pro Max, Redmi phone and one HP laptop to the Federal Government.

The Judge also sentenced Yusuf to three months' imprisonment without an option. The judge ordered that the sum of $300 he benefited from his criminal conduct and one Samsung S31 be forfeited to the Federal Government.

In the same vein, the court sentenced Muhammed to 400 hours of community service without an option of a fine and ordered the forfeiture of the convict's HP laptop.

Justice Akanbi, on his part, sentenced Abdulbasit to two years imprisonment or an option of N400,000. Additionally, the convict was ordered to sweep the premises of the Kwara State High Court for two months to be supervised by the Nigeria Correctional Service Probationer Officer, while the sum of $145 he benefited from the criminal conduct was forfeited to the Federal Government and one iPhone 11.

Similarly, Justice Saleeman sentenced Victor to two years' imprisonment or an option of N600,000. The court ordered that the sum of N4m he restituted, one iPhone 16 Pro Max and a Samsung phone to be forfeited to the Federal Government.