Cybercrime Crackdown: Kano Court Jails 29 Internet Fraudsters In One Swoop

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has convicted and sentenced 29 individuals over various cybercrime offenses.

Presiding over the cases, Justice S. M. Shuaibu delivered the rulings following separate charges brought against the defendants by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kaduna Zonal Command.

The convicted individuals, who were apprehended for crimes ranging from internet fraud and identity impersonation to money laundering and unlawful possession of criminal proceeds, all pleaded guilty to the charges without contest.

While most faced a single-count charge, one defendant, Okechukwu Kingsley Ejim, was arraigned on a two-count charge.

In one of the cases, a defendant identified as Godfrey Prosper, also known as “Goodlife001,” was found guilty of creating a fake Facebook profile to impersonate a foreign national in a bid to defraud unsuspecting victims.

The charge against him stated:
“That you, Prosper Godfrey (a.k.a Goodlife001), male, sometime in April 2025 in Nassarawa State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated Goodlife001 via a fake Facebook account with the intent to gain advantage from unsuspecting foreign nationals, thereby committing an offense contrary to Section 22 (2)(b)(i) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.”

Prosecutors M. U. Gadaka and M. Lawal urged the court to convict the defendants, while the defence pleaded for leniency, citing their clients’ remorse.

Justice Shuaibu sentenced the offenders to varying jail terms, offering fines as an alternative punishment, following their guilty pleas.