Court Jails Five for Internet Fraud in Lagos

The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, secured convictions and sentences against five internet fraudsters before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos. The convicts were arraigned separately on charges related to fraudulent impersonation and internet-related crimes, which they pleaded guilty to upon arraignment.

The convicts are Martins Emmanuel, Abeeb Olamide Asiru, Iremide Owolabi, Quadri Abdulrasheed Adio, and Imran Mujeeb Ayomide. They were arrested during sting operations conducted in August 2025 following credible intelligence received on the activities of syndicates engaged in internet fraud in Lagos.

Among the charges, Abeeb Olamide Asiru was found guilty of fraudulently impersonating “Dolly Parton” on Facebook, while Martins Emmanuel posed as a white woman named “Rose Heathers56” on TikTok to secure financial gains fraudulently. Imran Mujeeb Ayomide was convicted for impersonating “Agent Julie Ann Andrews Irs” on a Google account. The charges were brought under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.

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The court sentenced Martins Emmanuel to three months imprisonment or a fine of ₦600,000; Abeeb Olamide Asiru to six months imprisonment or a fine of ₦2,000,000; and Iremide Owolabi and Quadri Abdulrasheed Adio to three months imprisonment each or fines of ₦800,000. Imran Mujeeb Ayomide was sentenced to one year imprisonment or a fine of ₦120,000. Their mobile devices were ordered forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

These recent convictions underscore the ongoing efforts of the EFCC to clamp down on internet fraud and protect the public from financial crimes perpetrated through fraudulent online identities. The Lagos courts continue to take a firm stance on cybercrime, ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice and serve as a deterrent to others .