The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan Zonal Office, said it has apprehended some suspected internet fraudsters in an hideout at Wisdom Estate, Akobo area of Ibadan.
Wilson Uwujaren, Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, stated that the seven suspects who are between 17 and 29 years old, were arrested in an early morning operation in the Ibadan community.
The suspects’ names are Sodiq Oluwasegun, Opeyemi Jamiu, Babatunde Damilare, Adisa Babatunde, Abayomi Taofeek, Oluyemi Kayode and Ambrose Timothy.
The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, said their arrests followed series of intelligence on the alleged criminal activities of the syndicate.
Items recovered from the suspects include a Lexus RX350 SUV, laptops, different models of expensive iPhones and several documents containing false pretenses.
The suspects, Uwujaren said, would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
In a related development, Oyelakin Babatunde was on Thursday sentenced to four months of community service for cheating by Justice Omolara Adeyemi of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan.
The 32-year-old Babatunde, who claims to be a fashion designer, was arrested in September 2020 for allegedly obtaining money by false pretense from unsuspecting foreigners through Amazon and iTunes gift cards as well as Western Union and MoneyGram money transfer.
The offence that was allegedly committed contravenes Section 421 of the Criminal Code cap 38, laws of Oyo State, 2000 and punishable under the same section.
The accused person pleaded guilty to the one count charge brought against him by the EFCC.
Aside the jail term, the court also ordered him to restitute the sum of £950 (Nine Hundred and Fifty British Pounds) to his victims and forfeit his Lexus Rs350, one silver Hp Laptop, one white Iphone 11, one golden iPhone wrist watch and one black Nokia phone to the Federal Government.
A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, had sentenced Opeyemi Folarin and Ogunseye Olamilekan for fraudulent impersonation.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan Zonal Office said it secured the conviction of the two accused persons on Wednesday.
According to the Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, Folarin, who claimed to be 27-year-old Higher National Diploma student of The Polytechnic Ibadan and Ogunseye, who claimed to be a student of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta were found guilty of separate amended lone count of impersonation.
The offense is said to be contrary to Section 22(2)(b)(i) and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act.
The two accused persons pleaded guilty to the charges.
Justice Patricia Ajoku ordered that Folarin should forfeit his Orange colour Iphone XR to the Federal Government while Ogunseye was ordered to restitute the sum of $700USD (seven Hundred United States of American Dollars) to his victim.
As well, Ogunseye is to forfeit his silver Iphone 6, one Apple series 6 watch, one Apple MacBook and one PlayStation 4 Game pad, to the federal government of Nigeria.
