Court jails 4 internet fraudsters in Lagos

The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State, has sentenced four internet fraudsters to prison.

The convicts – Martins Emmanuel, Abeeb Olamide Asiru, Iremide Owolabi, and Quadri Abdulrasheed Adio – were arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on August 29, 2025, in a sting operation at Mambillah Hotel, Ikorodu, Lagos.

The EFCC, in a statement issued on Thursday, September 25, said the convicts were apprehended following credible intelligence received by the commission on the activities of a syndicate of suspected internet fraudsters operating at the hotel.

They were subsequently arraigned on one-count separate charges bordering on fraudulent impersonation and internet related crimes.

One of the charges read: “That you, ABEEB OLAMIDE ASIRU (a.k.a Dolly Parton), on or about 29th August, 2025 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one ‘Dolly Parton’ by holding yourself out as such on your Facebook account with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.”

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They all pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them.

In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, H.U. Kofarnaisa, reviewed the facts of the case through the investigating officers, Ibrahim Bukar, Samson Aguma, and Ruth Odang.

Kofarnaisa, thereafter, tendered the defendants’ statements and mobile devices recovered from them.

She also urged the court to convict them as charged.

The presiding judge, Justice Dehinde Dipeolu, convicted and sentenced Emmanuel to three months imprisonment, with the option of a fine of N600,000.

Justice Dipeolu also convicted and sentenced Asiru to six months imprisonment, with the option of a fine of N2,000,000.

Both Owolabi and Adio were each sentenced to three months imprisonment, with the option of a fine of N800,000.

Their mobile devices were ordered forfeited to the federal government.

The Star