EFCC impostor, two others sentenced five years in Gombe

Agency nabs 10 suspected internet fraudsters
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Gombe zonal office, yesterday secured the conviction of Mohammed Haladu of Dengi, Kanam Council of Plateau State, for cheating, contrary to Section 320 (a) of the penal code.

Acting spokesman to the EFCC, Tony Orilade, stated in Abuja yesterday that Haladu was brought before Justice Abubakar Jauro of Gombe State High Court for posing as an EFCC operative to defraud a businessman, Ayuba Pyokdom, of N100,000.

He had claimed that the money would used to suppress an investigation into a petition against the businessman.

According to Orilade, when the charge was read to Haladu, he immediately pleaded “guilty”.

Justice Jauro, thereafter, sentenced him one year with an option of N20,000.

The anti-graft agency also secured the conviction of Abubakar Umar and Nafiu Ibrahim for conspiracy and cheating.

Umar and Ibrahim were arraigned before Justice Jauro for allegedly defrauding Hadiza Bajoga and Rakiya Yakubu of about N4 million.

EFCC had received a petition from the victims.

After investigation, they were arrested in Kano State.

Based on their “guilty” pleas when the charges were read to them, the trial judge sentenced them two years for each count to run consecutively, with an option of N80,000. Justice Jauro also ordered the EFCC to pay the amount recovered from the convicts to their victims.

Meanwhile, the Port Harcourt zonal office of commission has arrested 10 suspected internet fraudsters in Port Harcourt, Warri and Asaba in a sting operation.

Orilade, in a statement yesterday, named Chinemerem Alia, Henry Ogbiugba, Cyril Uchanna, Samuel Obomovo, Israel Ogagaoghene, Israel Diaso, Destiny Aghariagbonse, Frank Aretuemhen, Paul Esibhakpen and Loius Idehen as the suspects.

Investigations showed that the suspects were involved in love scam, with many of them purporting to be officers of the United States Army.

Various scam mails were traced to them.

Diaso had successfully defrauded an Indian lady, Promilla Lama, while Alia (alias Good Thaddy) confessed to be a picker.

A picker provides foreign accounts to internet fraudsters to receive money from their victims.

The zonal office has also commenced investigation of 358 trucks arrested for illegal oil bunkering cases. They were handed over to the EFCC by the 6 Mechanised Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.