A Kaduna court has jailed two internet fraudsters, Al-Mustapha Isah Gupa and Qareeb Adekunle Yusuf, to three years in prison each for impersonation and online fraud. The judgment, delivered by Justice I. A. Isiaka, reinforces the Federal Government’s intensified war against cyber criminals and serves as a stern warning to digital con artists across the country.
According to a statement released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) via its official handle on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, both convicts were arrested in Kaduna for using fake identities to deceive unsuspecting individuals online. Qareeb Adekunle Yusuf, who operated under the alias “Teddy Swims” on Facebook, swindled multiple victims out of $200 by pretending to be a foreign personality between January and April 2025. His digital footprints and fraudulent activities were traced to Command Junction, where he was eventually apprehended.
Al-Mustapha Isah Gupa, known online as “Ritchie Inman,” was also caught using a false persona to defraud people on Facebook. He committed the act on April 20, 2024, and was arrested at the Bafra Hotel in Kaduna. Both scammers pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them and showed remorse during court proceedings.
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While EFCC prosecutors M.U. Gadaka and M. Arumemi pushed for strict penalties to deter future offenders, the defense pleaded for leniency, citing the convicts’ regret and willingness to make amends. Delivering judgment, Justice Isiaka sentenced the duo to three years imprisonment each but offered them the option of fines.
Yusuf was ordered to pay a fine of N400,000, along with the forfeiture of his iPhone 11 Pro Max and the $200 obtained through fraud. Gupa was fined N150,000, with his iPhone 15 Pro Max also seized by the authorities. The devices used in carrying out the fraud were deemed tools of cybercrime and were confiscated as part of the court’s ruling.
This high-profile conviction underscores the EFCC’s growing success in tracing and dismantling online fraud syndicates. As cybercrime continues to evolve, Nigerian law enforcement agencies are ramping up efforts to protect citizens and restore confidence in digital transactions.
