A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced four Filipinos and seven Nigerians for cyberterrorism and internet fraud in a judgment delivered on Friday, June 13, 2025.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, secured the convictions before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the court sitting in Ikoyi.
The convicted Filipinos are Reyna Mae Eriba, Chyna Samonte, Zara Fabian, and Dominique Medina. The Nigerians include Chidera Ezechukwu, Favour Oluchukwu, Egwenum Ifeanyi, David Okezie, Gbenga Shittu Solomon, Ibraheem Olamilekan, and Oghomienor Jotham.
They were prosecuted on various charges, including cyberterrorism, identity theft, and internet fraud. In one of the charges, Samonte was accused of orchestrating online schemes designed to destabilize Nigeria’s socio-economic systems by recruiting local youths for identity theft and impersonation of foreign nationals. Ezechukwu was found to have retained over N12 million, which was traced to an online dating scam.
All 11 defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
Following their pleas, prosecution counsel Anita Imo, S.I. Suleiman, H.U. Kofarnaisa, and B.M. Isah urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants, and for all recovered items to be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Bogoro sentenced the four Filipinos to one year imprisonment each or a fine of N1 million. He also ordered their deportation by the Nigeria Immigration Service within seven days of completing their sentences.
Among the Nigerians, Gbenga received one year imprisonment or a fine of N700,000. The others — Jotham, Olalekan, Ezechukwu, David, Ifeanyi, and Oluchukwu — were each sentenced to one year imprisonment or a fine of N500,000.
All items recovered from the convicts, including vehicles, communication devices, and funds, were ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.
