Metro
Court Convicts Ten ‘Yahoo Boys’ For Fraud
Published
2 years agoon
By
Editor
Justice O. A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on Thursday, September 14, 2023 convicted ten people on one-count separate charges bordering on internet fraud.
The defendants who were prosecuted by the Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, are Ikyegh Senenge Bobo, Anum Cyprian Sesugh, Boniface Udoo Aondofa, Utor Stanley Torkuma, Obande Emmanuel, James Ekere, Tony Ochekwu Moda, Ochaje James, Shadrach Ugbu Aondona and Odumu Michael.
The convicts were arrested at different locations in Makurdi for alleged involvement in cybercrime. The investigation revealed that they assumed different identities to lure unsuspecting persons into phony social relationships with a view to defrauding them.
Some of the charges read: “That you, Ikyegh Senenge Bobo “M” sometime between December, 2022 to May, 2023 in Makurdi, Benue State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, sent an electronic message to one Daniella Alias Nagako, a female Japanese citizen based in the United States of America vide an Online App where you disguise yourself as a male citizen of Texas, United States of America with the name Nakamora by procuring Apple iTunes Cards valued at N5,662,200.00 from her and converted the proceeds into your Opay Limited wallet, Ikyegh Msendoo Mercy’s GT and Keystone Bank accounts respectively and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (3) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under same Section of the Act.
READ ALSO: Four Yahoo Boys Arrested For Torturing Three Trainees Over Failed Deal
“That you, Obande Emmanuel “M” (22 years) sometime between March and April, 2022 in Makurdi, Benue State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently obtained the sum of $1000 USD from unsuspecting foreign nationals by using Instagram account “taratwithdephina” through which you claimed to be a fortune teller offering consultancy and palm reading service to help them succeed in life and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (1) (iv) of the Act.
“That you, Abah James Ekere “M” (33 years) on or about 22 June, 2021, in Makurdi, Benue State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud knowingly sent electronic messages to Access Bank Plc and GT Bank that materially misrepresented the fact that a transaction of N1,500,000.00 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) and N400,000.00 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira) failed from your Access Bank account No. 0025620094 and GT. Bank account No. 0642871829 (from PoS terminal) which the Banks relied upon by making a chargeback to Accelerex Network Nigeria Limited who suffered a loss and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14 (2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under same Section of the Act.
“That you, Shadrach Ugbu Aondona on or about February, 2022 in Makurdi, Benue State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, used the identity of one Caitlyn Anderson, an America social media model and created a Gmail account, caitlynaanderson2012@gmail.com linked with your Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat accounts and sent fictitious messages to unsuspecting foreign nationals and obtained the sum of $2,000 (Two Thousand Dollars) only, which was converted and transferred to your Opay Account number 8073746212 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(a) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2) (b) (iv) of the same Act”.
They all pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
Justice Egwuatu convicted and sentenced Senenge to one year imprisonment with an option of fine of N500,000.00. He was ordered to forfeit an iPhone 13 Pro, Pontiac Vibe 2009 model car and two plots of land situated alongside Gboko Road, Phase 1, Makurdi to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
READ ALSO: ‘You May Not End Well’ – Catholic Priest Berates Yahoo Boys
Cyprian bagged one year imprisonment with an option of fine of N500,000.00. He also forfeits an iPhone 11 Pro Max to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Aondofa was sentenced to one year imprisonment with an option of fine of N200,000.00 and forfeits an iPhone 7 to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Stanley was sentenced to one year imprisonment with an option of fine of N200,000.00 and forfeits an iPhone to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Also, he is to pay the sum of N97,900 (Ninety Seven Thousand Nine Hundred Naira) in restitution to the victim.
Emmanuel was sentenced to one year imprisonment with an option of N100,000 fine and forfeits an iPhone 14 Pro Max to the Federal Government, while James bagged one year imprisonment with an option of fine of N100,000.00.
Ochekwu and Ochaje were sentenced to one year imprisonment with an option of fine of One Million Naira and N500,000.00 fine respectively. While Ochekwu is to forfeit iPhone 3 and iPhone 8, Ochaje was ordered to forfeit one iPhone 6 and one Hp laptop to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Shadrach and Michael bagged one year imprisonment with option of fine of N300,000.00 and N200,000 respectively. Shadrach was ordered to forfeit an iPhone XR to the Federal Government.
VANGUARD
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Metro
Ondo: VP Mysteriously Disappears From Hotel After Attending Seminar
Published
1 hour agoon
September 15, 2025By
Editor
Olaloye Olatunde, Vice Principal of Ipele Community High School, Owo, Ondo State, mysteriously disappeared from a hotel after attending a seminar in Akure, the state capital.
It was gathered that only his personal belongings were discovered inside the hotel room where he lodged for the seminar after his mysterious disappearance.
He reportedly travelled from Owo to Akure to attend a Child Labour Programme organised by Trace Project, Akure, in partnership with Charakids Foundation.
The victim’s wife, Mrs. Adenike Olaloye, said he called her after checking into a Hotel in Alagbaka, where all other participants lodged.
According to her “We spoke regularly until Wednesday.
READ ALSO:Ondo Govt Suspends Three Senior Officials Over Recruitment Scam
“By Friday, his phone was no longer reachable. The seminar was supposed to end that day, but I never heard from him again.”
”I was the one who arranged his bag before he travelled. That same bag was what they later found in his hotel room. Sadly, they had already packed it out without telling me.”
Also, speaking of the ugly incident, Olaoyes elder brother, Zacheus Olaloye, said “When my brother’s wife called me that she hadn’t seen my brother, I went to the hotel.
“The staff initially told me that all participants had checked out.
“But later I discovered the bag they said was abandoned was my brother’s own, with his clothes and shoes still inside.”
READ ALSO:My Husband Comes Home With Used Condoms — Wife
Zacheus, a retired civil servant, lamented that “We tried to preview the footage, but nothing worked. Later, the management showed us a grainy video of a man walking out of the premises. But that wasn’t my brother. The figure wasn’t clear at all.”
He added, sadly, that neither the organisers of the seminar nor the hotel have reached out to the family formally after Olatunde disappeared.
“The matter was reported to the police by the family at the Zone 17 AIG office, before we were directed to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad.
“The hotel management has not called us, and the organisers have done nothing tangible to help us find my brother. We are the ones chasing everyone. They should help us.”
Speaking on the matter, the manager of the hotel, Mr. Kenneth Ekpeyong, and a staff, Mrs. Oluwaseyi Adebayo, said that all participants were well accounted for until Friday evening.
READ ALSO:Amotekun Arrests 28 For Robbery, Kidnapping In Ondo
Ekpeyong said that “On August 24, 49 participants arrived, later increasing to 58. On Friday, we organised an Asun Night for them, as part of our hospitality package.
“Some left that night, while others checked out on Saturday,” Adebayo explained.
On her part, Mrs Adebayo said “one facilitator instructed the hotel to clear the belongings in Room 305, claiming the occupant had travelled to sign teachers’ salary vouchers.
“We used our master card to open the room, packed the bag, and documented it. Later we were told it was the vice principal’s bag.”
“From our CCTV, we saw him on Wednesday, and then again on Thursday morning, August 28, at exactly 6:17 a.m., when he walked out of the hotel and never returned. That is why the room was eventually opened.”
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Contacted, the state police command spokesperson Ayanlade Olayinka, said that “the command has launched an investigation into the mystery surrounding his disappearance.
” The command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the man’s sudden disappearance,
“We call on members of the public to provide any useful information that can assist us in unraveling the case.”
Ayanlade has however, assured members of the public that police detectives would unearth the mystery behind the disappearance of the Vice Principal.
Metro
NDLEA Destroys Over 18,000 KG Of Cannabis In Edo Forest
Published
1 hour agoon
September 15, 2025By
Editor
Operatives of the Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have destroyed over 18,000 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa in a single raid targeted at cannabis cultivators in the state.
Edo State State Commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, while giving a brief on the recent dislodgement of the cannabis plantation cell, disclosed that the operation was carried out on September 11, 2025, at Ugbogui Forest, in Ovia South West Local Government Area of the State.
Ofoyeju, who warned that the ugly development constitutes a serious threat to food security in the state, said: “The massive cannabis farm destruction operation which was based on actionable intelligence is posing a serious threat to food security.
“If these forests can be utilised only for the cultivation of food and cash crops, the challenge of food shortage will be adequately addressed.”
READ ALSO:NDLEA Arrests 26, Recovers 41,410.53 KG Drugs In Edo
“This operation obviously underscores the agency’s commitment to combatting drug cultivation in the State, thereby reinforcing our efforts to rid our communities of the dangers posed by illicit drugs.
“The Edo State Command has taken a bold step to cut off the illicit supply of cannabis with the destruction of a vast Cannabis sativa plantation spanning approximately 6.79 hectares, with an estimated yield of over 16,966 kilograms.
“At the farm, we successfully recovered one hundred and twelve bags of harvested and processed cannabis weighing 1,176 kilograms in the farm,” Mitchell stated.
READ ALSO:NDLEA Arrests Man With 8,000 Bottles Of Drug-laced Herbal Mixture, Cannabis
“Four male suspects linked to the cannabis plantation were apprehended during the operation while taking refuge at their tents located within the farm. Three of them are from Akwa Ibom State, while one hails from Delta State. They have been identified as Ebenizer E. Wang, 48 years old, from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Oshare John, 45 years old, from Ughelli South, Delta State. Others are Emmanuel Monday, 29 years old, from Eket, Akwa Ibom State, and David Sunday, 30 years old, from Ugad, Akwa Ibom State.”
The NDLEA commander, while stating that investigations are underway, said the suspects are expected to face charges in court soon.
Ofoyeju, who urged members of the public to continue providing intelligence to assist in the fight against drug-related crimes, stated that the NDLEA remains vigilant in promoting public health and safety.
Metro
Edo Police Recover N300, 000 Extorted By Officers, To Discipline Culprit
Published
2 hours agoon
September 15, 2025By
Editor
The Edo State Police Command on Monday said it has recovered N300, 000 extorted from a furniture maker
by the officers attached to the Oba Market Area Command, Benin City.
This was contained in a statement signed by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, and made available to newsmen in Benin on Monday.
Yamu disclosed that officers involved in the extortion have been detained, adding that they would face disciplinary procedures in accordance with the extant regulations of the Nigeria Police Force.
The statement reads, “The Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the public that it has taken decisive action following a video circulated on social media by an influencer in Edo State alleging the extortion of the sum ₦300,000 from a furniture maker by some officers attached to Oba Market Area Command, Benin City.
READ ALSO:Edo Police Arrest Doctor Over Woman’s Death During Caesarean Section
“The officers involved have been promptly identified, the money has been fully recovered and returned to the victim, while the said officers have been detained and are to face disciplinary procedures in accordance with the extant regulations of the Nigeria Police Force.
“In addition, stern administrative measures have been taken against the Oba Market Area Command to ensure professionalism, discipline, and respect for the rights of citizens in the discharge of their duties.”
Yamu on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, urged members of the public to report any unprofessional conduct by officers and men of the command to the Public Complaints Bureau or the Complaints Response Unit through 08150999335 and
08100389992.
He added, “The Command assures the good people of Edo State that it remains committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and accountability in service delivery.”
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