Metro

Court Jails ‘Yahoo Boy’ For Impersonating Singer Flavour N’abania, Duping American Of $53000

Published

1 year ago

September 3, 2024

The Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced one Courage Ikpaka to two years imprisonment for duping a United States citizen, Mrs Yvelte M. Thompson of $53,000 by impersonating Nigerian musician, Chinedu Okoli popularly known as Flavour N’abania.

Justice Dehinde Dipeolu convicted Ipaka on Tuesday September 3, following his guilty plea to a two-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Prosecution counsel, Suleiman Suleiman, led EFCC investigator Azibagiri Dan Ekpar in evidence against the defendant. During the trial, the witness told the court that Ipaka impersonated Flavour by pledging to organise shows in the United States of America and receiving payment through his Bitcoin wallets.

Ekpar explained that the EFCC got wind of the fraud following a petition written by one Eyitayo Tolulope Abiodun and others on behalf of the victim.

“We invited Flavour who honoured the invitation and claimed innocence of the allegations. Upon investigation, we discovered that one Ipaka Courage who lives in Benin City was the perpetrator. We invited the defendant, and he admitted in his statement that he impersonated Flavour by obtaining the sum of $53,000 from a woman who is a United States Citizen in 2021. He wired the funds through Bitcoin wallets and converted them in his Bank account where he received the value in Naira. The sum of N7.9m Naira was recovered from the defendant through Zenith and Access Bank manager’s cheques.”

Following the defendant’s guilty plea and upon reviewing the prosecution’s evidence against him, Justice Dipeolu sentenced Ipaka to two years imprisonment but with an option of a fine of N2 million.

The judge also forfeited the sum of N7.9m recovered from the convict to Mrs Thompson.

Counts 1 and 2 of the charge read:.“That you, IKPAKA COURAGE sometime in April 2021 in Lagos. within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court directly made a false statement wherein you held yourself out as a Nigerian entertainer by name “Chinedu Okoli a.k.a. Flavour N’abania” on your Telegram Account, knowing same to be false and with intent that the representation is relied upon for the purpose of procuring the issuance of financial instruments to yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention etc} Act, 2015.

“That you, IKPAKA COURAGE sometime in April 2021 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly retained the sum of $53,000 in your Access Bank Pic account number 0108866415 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: dishonest conversion of the said sum, property of Mrs Yvelte M. Thompson and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(G) and punishable under section 18 {3} of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

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Metro

Police Bust Kidnap Ring, Rescue 23 Foreigners, Arrest 14 Suspects Near Abuja

Published

2 hours ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has dismantled a transnational kidnapping syndicate that demanded N230 million ransom from foreign nationals lured into Nigeria under the guise of lucrative job offers.

Operatives of the command’s Scorpion Squad launched the sting operation around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at Angwan Adamu Ruga Fulani Zone B, Riverside, Ado Mararaba, Nasarawa State, a border community near Abuja.

Fourteen suspected kidnappers were arrested and 23 foreign nationals rescued in the process.

According to police findings, the victims, all West African nationals, were deceived into travelling to Nigeria by a criminal network posing as employment recruiters.

Upon arrival, the victims were held captive, and the kidnappers demanded ransom from their families via WhatsApp and other online platforms.

FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said on Friday that investigations identified the ringleader as Abubakar Jigiba, a suspected notorious cross-border criminal with known residences in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and Nigeria.

The syndicate, she explained, demanded four million CFA francs (about N10 million) per person, a total ransom demand of N230 million.

Adeh confirmed that efforts are ongoing to track down the principal suspect, Abubakar Jigiba, and his brother, Sougule Zoubere, both of whom remain at large.

She said: “In a major breakthrough against kidnapping and human trafficking, operatives of the FCT Police Command’s Scorpion Squad have successfully arrested fourteen (14) suspected kidnappers and rescued twenty-three (23) victims, all foreign nationals, from captivity.

“The intelligence-led operation took place at about 8 p.m. on Tuesday, 21st October 2025, at Angwan Adamu Ruga Fulani Zone B, Riverside, Ado Mararaba, Nasarawa State.

“The operation followed a report indicating that several foreign nationals had been lured into Nigeria under the pretext of lucrative job offers. Upon arrival, they were held hostage by their abductors, who demanded ransom payments from their families via WhatsApp and other online platforms.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the syndicate is coordinated by one Abubakar Jigiba, a transnational criminal kingpin with known residences in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and Nigeria. His younger brother, Sougule Zoubere, handles the recruitment, kidnapping and smuggling of victims from Mali into Nigeria, where they are detained pending ransom payments. The group demanded four million CFA (N10,000,000) for each victim.

“Further investigations revealed that the victims were trafficked into the country through illegal border routes in a journey lasting about three days. They were subsequently confined in two fortified two-bedroom apartments under inhumane conditions.

“Acting on actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence, the Scorpion Squad traced the hideout to the above address, where a total of twenty-three (23) victims — fourteen (14) males, eight (8) females and one (1) child — were rescued unhurt, except one who sustained a minor ear injury and has been taken to the National Hospital, Abuja, for treatment.”

Metro

Woman Begs Court Not To Grant Husband’s Prayer For Divorce

Published

2 hours ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

A housewife, Fauziya Ibrahim, has begged an Area Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, not to grant her husband, Hamza Musbau’s prayer of divorce.

She told the court that she does not want her marriage dissolved.

“I have been married to my husband for 16 years and I want to remain in this marriage,” she told the court.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),Earlier, Hamza prayed for divorce on grounds of lack of love and affection.

The judge, Mr Toyin Aluko, said that on the strength of the provisions of the Holy Quran, Almighty Allah allows a wife to seek for settlement, just as divorce is allowed.

He, therefore, advised Fauziya to try her best to make peace and settle any misunderstanding between them.

Aluko adjourned the case.

Metro

Woman Seeks Divorce Over Alleged Abandonment, Abuse

Published

2 hours ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

A married woman, Love Thomas, has dragged her husband, Joshua, before an upper Customary Court sitting in Kaduna, Kaduna State, over alleged abandonment and violence.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the complainant’s lawyer, Victoria Omajawu prayed the court to dissolve their marriage on the grounds of abandonment.

She also prayed the court to restrain the defendant from threatening and disturbing her client’s peace or tranquility.

The defendant was however not in court.

The judge, Mrs Patience Musa, adjourned the case.