Kaduna Court Jails ‘Fake Australian’ Over Facebook Fraud

​KADUNA – The Kaduna State High Court has sentenced Faruk Suleiman Ololade, who posed online as an Australian citizen named “Caesar Smith,” to three years in prison for his involvement in internet-related fraud.

​The judgment, delivered by Justice Jaafaru Zubairu, followed a successful prosecution by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Ololade was arraigned on a one-count charge centered on personation and an attempt to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

​The Conviction

​During the proceedings, the convict pleaded guilty to the charge. The prosecution counsel, Moses Arumemi, subsequently urged the court to convict him based on his admission and the evidence presented.

​In his ruling, Justice Zubairu sentenced Ololade to three years’ imprisonment. However, the judge provided an option of a N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) fine.

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​As part of the sentence, the court ordered the permanent forfeiture of the convict’s tool of trade—a Redmi 15C mobile phone—to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

​The Road to Jail

​The charge against Ololade stated that on or about February 12, 2026, he utilized the Facebook platform to assume the identity of “Mr. Caesar Smith,” an Australian national. Under this guise, he targeted social media users in an attempt to elicit funds through fraudulent claims.

​His activities came to a halt following a sting operation by EFCC operatives. Acting on “actionable intelligence” regarding a cluster of cybercriminals, the anti-graft agency tracked and arrested Ololade at the Turaki Signboard area of Agwa, Kaduna State.

​EFCC’s Continued Crackdown

​The conviction is part of a broader intensified effort by the EFCC to sanitize the digital space in Kaduna and surrounding states. A spokesperson for the commission reiterated that the agency remains committed to tracking down “Yahoo Boys” and other cyber fraudsters who damage Nigeria’s international reputation.

​Legal Reference: The offence is contrary to Section 142 (1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017, which strictly prohibits personation with fraudulent intent.