Justice has caught up with 29 internet fraudsters in Benin City, Edo State, bringing a sense of relief to many Nigerians worried about rising cybercrime.
The convicts, all found guilty of various online scams, were sentenced to jail by Justices A.N. Erhabor and W.I. Aziegbemhin of the Edo State High Court. The sentences ranged from two years imprisonment to fines between ₦200,000 and ₦400,000, depending on the severity of each case.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the convicts were apprehended following a sting operation by the Benin Zonal Directorate. The operation was based on credible intelligence linking them to internet-related fraud activities.
Among the 29 convicted are Edeyibo Rukewe Hope, Igbafe David, and Odiniru Emeka Vet, from whom a red Mercedes Benz C300, registered BEN258CM, was recovered. The car, considered proceeds of crime, has been forfeited to the Federal Government.
Each convict faced a one-count charge ranging from advance fee fraud, possession of fraudulent documents, to unlawful retention of criminal proceeds. When arraigned, all pleaded guilty.
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EFCC prosecutors urged the court to apply the full weight of the law. Defence lawyers, however, begged for leniency, saying the accused were remorseful and ready to reform.
In his ruling, Justice Erhabor gave some the option of paying fines rather than serving jail terms. Others received harsher fines of ₦400,000 or full prison time without options.
Beyond jail time and fines, the judges ordered all convicts to forfeit recovered items—phones, laptops, and money—and sign undertakings to avoid crime going forward.
This judgment follows a similar case earlier this month when 21 fraudsters were sentenced in Edo State. The EFCC has ramped up efforts to tackle internet fraud in recent years.
The Commission also sounded an alarm recently about the growing risks of internet fraud, which now includes weapons possession and suspected ritual killings.
Tragically, in January, an EFCC officer, Aminu Sahabi Harisu, lost his life while tracking a fraud suspect. The anti-graft agency maintains that these convictions are a step toward restoring trust and safety in Nigeria’s digital space.
