EFCC Arraigns 16 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Enugu
The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, arraigned 16 suspected internet fraudsters before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Enugu for various fraud-related charges.
The defendants, whose names include Chidera Nehemiah, Chikamso Nwabuisi, Nnamekwe Jeremiah Chukwu, Chiemerie Christian Nworie, Azubuike Akachukwu, Onah Chisom Promise, Onoja Anthony Enemari, Uboegbu Chisom Emmanuel, and Ediekemi Patrick Udokaebe, among others, faced charges related to fraudulent personation, obtaining by false pretense, money laundering, and possession of fraudulent documents.
Some defendants, including Chukwu, Akachukwu, Promise, Udokaebe, Chibuike, Godwin, and Sixtus, were arraigned on two counts, while the others faced three counts. For example, one of the charges against Nwabuisi reads: “That you, Chikamso Nwabuisi, sometime in January 2025, in Awka, Anambra State, did commit a felony by using and taking possession of the sum of $5,000, knowing it to be funds from an unlawful act, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.”
When the charges were read to them, the defendants pleaded “not guilty.” As a result, prosecution counsel, Michael Ikechukwu Ani, requested a trial date and sought that the defendants be remanded in the Enugu State Correctional Centre. Defence counsel, including Wisdom Ogbonna, E. J. Nwatarali, B. C. Okeke, O. E. Otakagu, D. O. Onyeji, M. I. Odo, and Segun Oyesanya, informed the court of pending bail applications.
The prosecution opposed the bail applications, arguing that they were not yet due for hearing as the court had been notified at short notice, giving them insufficient time to file counter-affidavits.
After hearing both parties, Justice Umar adjourned the matter involving Nehemiah, Nwabuisi, Chukwu, Nworie, and Onyeamari until February 14, 2025, for bail applications. The applications for the other defendants, including Akachukwu, Promise, Emmanuel, Udokaebe, Izuchukwu, Sixtus, and Ebube, were adjourned until February 21, 2025, while the remaining cases were set for March 7, 2025.
Justice Umar ordered that the defendants be remanded in the Enugu State Correctional Centre.
The suspects were among 37 internet fraudsters arrested on January 17, 2025, in a sting operation at Dr. J. O. Ukwutinife Close, Commissioners Quarters, Ifite, Awka, Anambra State, based on actionable intelligence linking them to online criminal activities. Investigations revealed that the defendants specialized in document forgery, impersonating foreign nationals, and using fake social media accounts to defraud victims.
