Court jails man for training minors on how to become internet fraudsters

The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of a man, Goodluck Ejimiyare, for recruiting young boys into an internet fraud training network popularly known as a “Yahoo school.”

Justice C. A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Benin City, Edo State, handed down the conviction on Monday.

Mr Ejimiyare was first arraigned on 30 March on an amended one-count charge of conspiracy to commit internet fraud with one Ebuka Eze, who the EFCC says is currently at large.

According to the charge, the defendant conspired in 2025 to commit computer-related fraud, an offence contrary to Section 27(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015 as amended in 2024, and punishable under Section 22(2)(iv) of the same Act.

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The prosecution told the court that Mr Ejimiyare recruited some young boys into a fraud ring identified as “Hustling Kingdom,” which is a “Yahoo” school where internet fraud is taught.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.

Following his plea, the prosecution counsel, Elodi Immaculate, asked the court to convict and sentence him accordingly. The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until 20 April for sentencing.

At the resumed sitting, Justice Obiozor sentenced Mr Ejimiyare to five years imprisonment, with an option of a N1 million fine.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of his mobile phone and directed him to undertake in writing to be of good behaviour.

The EFCC in a statement said the case stemmed from an earlier operation by the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade Headquarters, which arrested 17 boys at a suspected Yahoo school and handed them over to the commission.