By Ebenezer Mabinuola
The Gombe Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned five individuals before the Federal High Court in Gombe on charges of internet fraud and online impersonation.
The accused – Abulrazak Yusuf, Maxwell Gyang, Amos Samson, Abdulgawiy Jamilu, and Abel Dung Davou – were arraigned before Justice Amina A. Muhammad on Monday, June 23, 2025. Each faced a separate one-count charge for allegedly using fake online identities to defraud foreign nationals.
One of the defendants, Maxwell Gyang, was accused of creating false profiles on Facebook and Telegram using names like “Anna Katarzyn” and “Francesca Macro” to deceive victims in Romania and Poland. He allegedly used a Tecno Spark 20C mobile phone to carry out the scam, defrauding his victims of $250.
The charge read in part: “With intent to defraud, you impersonated others using false online identities to obtain financial advantage…” in violation of the Cybercrimes Act, 2025.
Yusuf, Gyang, Samson, and Jamilu pleaded guilty. Davou, however, entered a not guilty plea. EFCC counsel M.D. Aliyu requested immediate conviction and sentencing for the four, and a trial date for Davou. Davou’s lawyer also filed for bail, which will be heard on June 26.
Justice Muhammad ordered the four guilty defendants to be remanded in EFCC custody until sentencing on July 2, while Davou was remanded at the Gombe Correctional Centre.
The case reflects the EFCC’s continued crackdown on cybercrime in Nigeria’s northeast.
