Five Years Jail for ‘Yahoo School’ Recruiter in Benin

​BENIN CITY — A Federal High Court sitting in Benin has sentenced Goodluck Ejimiyare to five years imprisonment for his role in operating a recruitment pipeline for “Hustling Kingdom,” an underground academy dedicated to training young boys in internet fraud.

​Justice (Professor) C. A. Obiozor delivered the verdict on Monday, April 20, 2026, after the defendant pleaded guilty to a one-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit computer-related fraud.

​From Military Raid to EFCC Prosecution

​Ejimiyare’s activities came to light following a high-stakes intervention by the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade Headquarters. During a targeted operation, military officers apprehended 17 young boys at a facility identified as a “Yahoo School.”

​Upon being handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the recruits turned on their handler. Interrogations revealed that Ejimiyare acted as the primary scout and recruiter for the “Hustling Kingdom,” working in tandem with one Ebuka Henry Eze, who remains at large.

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​The Verdict

​The prosecution counsel, Elodi Immaculate, detailed how Ejimiyare conspired to violate the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015 (as amended 2024). While the defendant admitted to the charges on March 30, the court reserved sentencing until this week to weigh the severity of the recruitment operation.

​Justice Obiozor offered the convict an option of a N1 million fine in lieu of the five-year custodial sentence. As part of the judgment, Ejimiyare must:

• ​Forfeit his mobile devices to the Federal Government.
• ​Sign a written undertaking to maintain good behavior upon release.

​The EFCC has intensified its crackdown on these “vocational centers” of cybercrime, which authorities say target vulnerable teenagers with the promise of quick wealth through digital extortion and social engineering.