Eight Nigerians, four Filipinos convicted for internet fraud, cyber-terrorism in Lagos

Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced 12 individuals comprising four Filipino nationals and eight Nigerians for their roles in cyber-terrorism and internet-related fraud.

The judgment was delivered on Friday following their arrest during a major raid in December 2024 on Oyin Jolayemi Street, Lagos.

The operation, which uncovered a highly sophisticated ponzi and cyber-terror network, led to the detention of 729 suspects.

The convicted Filipinos Reyna Mae Eriba, Chyna Samonte, Zara Fabian, and Dominique Medina — were identified as key actors in the illicit scheme.

Also sentenced were Nigerians Chidera Ezechukwu, Favour Oluchukwu, Egwenum Ifeanyi, David Okezie, Gbenga Shittu Solomon, Ibraheem Olamilekan, Chinecherem Michael, and Oghomienor Jotham, all found guilty of collaborating in the fraudulent enterprise.

They were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on separate charges of cyber-terrorism, internet fraud, and money laundering.

EFCC prosecution counsel Anita Imo, leading Suleiman.I. Suleiman, H.U. Kofarnaisa, and B.M. Isah, told the told the court that Chynna Samonte,sometime in December 2024, in Lagos, willfully accessed computer systems with the intention to destabilise and destroy the economic and social structure of Nigeria to recruit young Nigerians, exploiting them in schemes designed for identity theft

to impersonate foreign nationals and defraud unsuspecting victims.

The prosecution also told the court that proceeds from the operations were traced to various bank accounts, including a sum of N12,750,318.63m, retained in the UBA account (No. 2330149541), of one of the Nigerian convicts Chidera Praise Ezechukwu, in May 2025, in Lagos.

The commission said Ezechukwu reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity specifically, online dating scams.

According to EFCC, the offences committed contravened Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and Sections 14(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 (as amended), and punishable under Section 14(2) of the same Act.

All the twelve convicts pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them.

Justice Bogoro in his judgment found all twelve convicts guilty and convicted them accordingly.

The prosecution urged the court to order the forfeiture of all exhibits recovered from the convicts.

The court sentenced each of the four Filipinos to one year imprisonment with an opinion of N1m, fine, each.

Justice Bogoro, said “The Nigeria Immigration Service is hereby directed to repatriate the foreign convicts to their country of origin (Philippines) within seven days of completing their prison terms.

“Gbenga Shittu Solomon is hereby sentenced to one year in prison with an option of N700,000 fine.

“Oghomienor Jotham, Chinecherem Michael, Ibraheem Olamilekan, Chidera Ezechukwu Praise, David Okezie, Egwenum Ifeanyi, and Favour Oluchukwu, are hereby sentenced to one-year prison each, with the option of paying N500,000 in lieu of their prison sentence”.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of all vehicles, devices, funds, and other items recovered from the convicts to the Federal Government of Nigeria.