The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, has secured the conviction and sentencing of five internet fraudsters before two Federal High Courts sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, over offences bordering on fraudulent impersonation and cyber-related crimes.
In the first case, Justice Dehinde Dipeolu on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, convicted four fraudsters, Martins Emmanuel, Abeeb Olamide Asiru, Iremide Owolabi, and Quadri Abdulrasheed Adio — after they pleaded guilty to separate one-count charges.
The quartet was arrested on August 29, 2025, during a sting operation by EFCC operatives at Mambillah Hotel, Ikorodu, Lagos, following credible intelligence on a syndicate of suspected internet fraudsters operating from the facility.
One of the charges reads: “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.”
Another charge stated that Martins Emmanuel falsely represented himself as a white woman named “Rose Heathers56” on TikTok to fraudulently obtain financial benefits.
Upon their guilty pleas, prosecution counsel, H.U. Kofarnaisa, reviewed the facts of the case through investigating officers and presented their statements and mobile devices as evidence.
Justice Dipeolu, thereafter, sentenced Emmanuel to three months imprisonment with an option of N600,000 fine, while Asiru bagged six months imprisonment with an option of a N2 million fine. Owolabi and Adio were each sentenced to three months imprisonment with an option of N800,000 fine. Their mobile phones were also ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.
In a related development, Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, on the same day convicted and sentenced another internet fraudster, Imran Mujeeb Ayomide, to one year imprisonment for impersonation.
Ayomide was arraigned by the EFCC on a one-count charge of falsely posing as “Agent Julie Ann Andrews Irs” on a Google account to gain undue advantage, an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
Following his guilty plea, prosecution counsel N.C. Mutfwang reviewed the case and tendered his statement and the mobile device recovered from him.
Justice Osiagor sentenced Ayomide to one year imprisonment with an option of a N120,000 fine and ordered the forfeiture of his Samsung S10 phone to the Federal Government.
The EFCC reiterated its commitment to intensifying efforts to combat cybercrime and bring offenders to justice as part of its broader mandate to rid Nigeria of internet-related criminal activities.
