The Kaduna State High Court has sentenced three men to prison for using Facebook and TikTok to defraud unsuspecting victims in Nigeria and abroad.
The convicts, identified as Aliyu Hassan, Samuel Olamide, and Solomon Joseph Christian, were arraigned on separate one-count charges of criminal impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence. They were prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before Justice A. Isiaka.
Investigators said Hassan, who operated online under the alias Ottaviani Loverules Giovanni, posed as a Brazilian citizen on Facebook. Through this fake identity, he deceived a victim named Kerry into transferring N90,000 to him. The EFCC described the transaction as part of a romance-style scam built on false promises and fabricated personal details.
Olamide, also known as Johnny, was found to have used TikTok to impersonate a United States citizen. Posing as an American, he allegedly lured an American victim, identified as Jackie Sanders, into sending him money under false pretences. The EFCC said his activities mirrored a growing trend in which fraudsters exploit social media platforms to build trust and then solicit funds.
Christian, who used the alias Jenort, ran a similar scheme on Facebook. He impersonated another individual and obtained 150 dollars from his victim. The commission said the funds were traced to him during the course of its investigation.
The EFCC told the court that the offences contravened Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017, which criminalises impersonation and cheating. Upon arraignment, all three defendants pleaded guilty to the charges.
Following their pleas, prosecution counsel M. U. Gadaka urged the court to convict and sentence them in line with the law. Justice Isiaka convicted the trio and sentenced each of them to five years in prison, with an option of a N300,000 fine.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of items linked to the crimes to the Federal Government. Hassan forfeited N90,000 and a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 used in committing the offence. Olamide forfeited a Samsung Galaxy S21, while Christian forfeited an iPhone 14 Pro and 150 dollars identified as proceeds of the crime.
According to the EFCC, the men were arrested in the Agwa/Kudende area of Kaduna after credible intelligence linked them to internet fraud activities. The commission noted that the case adds to a growing list of convictions secured in Kaduna against social media-based fraudsters.
