Five young men have landed in jail in Kwara State for internet fraud after being convicted by two separate courts, following successful prosecution by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Those convicted include Ayinla Abdulmajid, Yusuf Onimisi, Muhammed Eneye, Abdulbasit Abdulmumeen, and Victor Anibe. They were each found guilty on different charges of impersonation and online scams aimed at defrauding unsuspecting victims of their money.

Ayinla Abdulmajid, who posed as “Michael Cavezza” on Google Hangouts, tricked a victim named Kirsty Reid out of $1,003 between March and May 2025. He was sentenced by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court to nine months in prison without the option of a fine. The court also ordered him to forfeit $702, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, a Redmi phone, and an HP laptop to the government.

Similarly, Yusuf Onimisi, who disguised himself as “Mikaylah” on Telegram, defrauded Phillip Lee of $300. He was handed a three-month jail term without an option of a fine.

In separate rulings at the Kwara State High Court, Justice Sulaiman Akanbi sentenced Abdulbasit Abdulmumeen to two years in prison with the option of paying a ₦400,000 fine. As part of his punishment, he will also sweep the court premises for two months under supervision. The judge ordered the forfeiture of $145 and an iPhone 11.

Justice Haleema Saleeman sentenced Victor Anibe to two years imprisonment with the option of a ₦600,000 fine. He was also directed to forfeit ₦4 million in restitution, along with his iPhone 16 Pro Max and a Samsung phone.

The EFCC has continued to intensify its crackdown on cybercrime, urging young Nigerians to channel their skills into meaningful ventures rather than crime, which often leads to disgrace and heavy penalties.