Five-Year Prison Term for Trio Involved in Facebook, TikTok Fraud

​A Kaduna State High Court has sentenced three men—Aliyu Hassan, Samuel Olamide, and Solomon Joseph Christian—to five years imprisonment each for their involvement in separate internet-related fraud schemes.

​The verdict was delivered by Justice A. Isiaka following a successful prosecution by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The convicts were arraigned on individual one-count charges centered on criminal impersonation and obtaining money under false pretenses, in violation of Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.

​According to court proceedings, the trio utilized popular social media platforms to hunt for victims.

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• ​Aliyu Hassan, operating under the alias “Ottaviani Loverules Giovanni,” posed as a Brazilian citizen on Facebook. He successfully defrauded a victim identified as Kerry of ₦90,000 in February 2026.
• ​Samuel Olamide, known online as “Johnny,” utilized TikTok to impersonate an American citizen. Through this digital disguise, he defrauded an American national, Jackie Sanders.
• ​Solomon Joseph Christian, using the pseudonym “Jenort” on Facebook, illegally obtained $150 from an unsuspecting individual during the same period.

​The Verdict

​Upon their arraignment, all three defendants pleaded guilty to the charges. Consequently, the prosecution counsel, M.U. Gadaka, urged the court to convict the defendants based on their admissions and the evidence presented.

​Justice Isiaka sentenced each convict to five years in prison. However, the court provided an option of a ₦300,000 fine for each individual.

​Asset Forfeiture

​In addition to the custodial sentences, the court ordered the permanent forfeiture of the tools and proceeds of their crimes to the Federal Government. The forfeited items include:

• ​Hassan: ₦90,000 in cash and a Samsung Galaxy Note 8.
• ​Olamide: A Samsung Galaxy S21.
• ​Christian: An iPhone 14 Pro and $150.

​The convicts were apprehended in the Agwa and Kudende areas of Kaduna following “sting operations” driven by credible intelligence regarding their fraudulent activities. This conviction marks another milestone in the EFCC’s ongoing crackdown on cybercrime within the state.