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Musician, two others jailed 20 years for Cybercrime in Ilorin

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Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, has convicted and sentenced a Lokoja- born musician, Onojah Emmanuel Samuel, and two others to twenty years imprisonment for offences bordering on cybercrime.

Samuel was convicted on Monday, September 12, 2022 alongside Victor Atsumbe Kadiyamo and Jejelowo Segun, after pleading guilty to separate count charges, bordering on internet fraud. They were arraigned by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The charge against Samuel reads:

“That you, Onojah Emmanuel Samuel, sometime in May, 2022 at Lokoja, Kogi State within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court fraudulently impersonated one Richard Philips via your Instagram account linked to your gmail account: richardphilips6211@gmail.com with intent to obtain money from one Erika which you did obtain the sum of Eighty Pounds worth gift cards and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (ii) of Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.”

Following their pleas, counsel to EFCC, Andrew Akoja reviewed the facts of the cases and prayed the judge to convict and sentence them accordingly.

In his judgment, Justice Sani convicted and sentenced Samuel to three years imprisonment on counts one and two, with an option of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) on each count. The court ordered that the phone used by the convict to commit the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.

Kadiyamo was also convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment on counts one, two and three, with options of fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) on counts one and two, while count three carried an option of fine of N54,194,680.00 (Fifty Four Million, One Hundred and Ninety Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty Naira Only). In addition, the convict forfeited his phone and one Lexus car which he purchased with the proceeds of his unlawful activities to the government.

In the same vein, Segun was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment with an option of fine of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira Only). The judge, in addition, ordered the forfeiture of his Toyota Matrix car and phone to the Government.

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The convicts began their journey to the Correctional Centre, when they were arrested by operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC for internet-related offences. Further investigations linked them with impersonation of foreigners. They defrauded both local and foreign victims in the process.

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Public outcry as MTN raises weekly 15GB Data price from N2,000 to N6,000

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MTN Nigeria has raised the price of its weekly 15GB data plan to N6,000 from N2,000 to the outcry of many Nigerians.
This increment is part of a recently approved 50 percent hike in the price of telecom services.

Many MTN Nigeria subscribers have taken to X to express their frustrations. “Nigeria is a very difficult place to live in, honestly. MTN waking up one day to increase their weekly 15 GB data from 2k to 6k without prior warning is textbook insanity. That’s 24k in a month, almost the minimum wage of the country on data, bruh, this is hell,” tweeted @TheSilvapr.

“MTN increasing the cost of its 15 GB data subscription from 2k to 6k is a significant price hike, and it reflects the true economic and business realities rather than just a random decision. Complaining Won’t Change Anything because Telecom operators have to operate within a profit-driven system,” wrote @official_GZU.

Aside from the 15GB tariff plan increase, the telco has also raised the cost of other plans. The revised price increase now includes a 1.8GB monthly plan for N1,500, replacing the previous 1.5GB plan priced at N1,000.

Its 20GB plan has been adjusted to N7,500, up from N5,500, while the 15GB plan now costs N6,500, up from N4,500. Its 90-day 1.5TB plan has jumped from N150,000 to N240,000, and the 600GB 90-day plan increased from N75,000 to N120,000. Its two/three-month data plan of 100GN for N20,000 is now 90GB for N25,000; 160GB for N30,000 is now 150GB for N40,000.

For now, Airtel and Globacom are yet to review their prices. However, all telcos are expected to follow MTN’s lead after the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved a 50 percent increase in the cost of calls, data, and SMS on January 20 for the first time in a decade.

The hike is meant to support “the ability of operators to continue investing in infrastructure and innovation, ultimately benefiting consumers through improved services and connectivity, including better network quality, enhanced customer service, and greater coverage.”

However, telcos could not immediately increase prices as they were waiting for regulatory approval from the NCC. “We don’t have the price increase in our hands because, even though it has been announced and based on Section 108, every single product that you want to increase its price has to go to the NCC, be iterated, and approved,” one expert explained.

At an industry gathering on January 25, Gbenga Adebayo, the chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), noted that phased increment would begin soon.

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“We are now following what is called the regulatory requirement, regulatory steps of filing, reviewing, and obtaining approvals. As soon as those approvals come through, different players will introduce new rates as the time comes. I’ll say over next week, we start seeing some improvement in the prices,” he stated. (

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Nnamdi Kanu challenges court’s jurisdiction as Justice Nyako adjourns case indefinitely

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The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, on Monday, questioned the jurisdiction of the court over his alleged terrorism case when he re-appeared before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court for the resumed hearing of his protracted case.

Despite Kanu’s insistence that Justice Nyako has no jurisdiction over his case, the judge adjourned the matter indefinitely.

Kanu was brought into Nigeria in June 2021 and has since been detained and tried for alleged terrorism. His trial was stalled after Justice Nyako recused herself from the case following an oral application by the defendant on September 24, 2024.

The IPOB leader had directly told the judge that he no longer had confidence in her handling of his trial.

However, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, reverted the file to Nyako on the ground that Kanu’s application must be brought formally before the court through a motion on notice.

Consequently, in a letter dated December 5, 2024, addressed to the Deputy Chief Registrar, Adegboyega Awomolo, the prosecution counsel, asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of the trial.

Opposing the request for a trial date, the defence counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, in a letter dated December 9, 2024 said the ruling of the judge recusing herself remained valid.

Subsequently, Ejimakor asked that the case be transferred to a Federal High Court in the South-East if no judge in Abuja is willing to preside over it. His prayer, however, did not see the light of day.

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At the resumed hearing on Monday, February 10, 2025, Justice Nyako said the chief judge had not accepted her recusal and had referred the case back to her.

She asked the defence team led by Ejimakor to come up with a written application if they still insist on the recusal.

Earlier, the Prosecution counsel led by Adegboyega Awomolo, said they were ready for the commencement of trial as his witnesses were ready.

Poor knowledge of Court affecting Nigeria – Kanu

Addressing the court, a furious Kanu questioned why he was brought before Justice Nyako. He said all that the judge said was meaningless to him. He said he does not recognise the authority of the court presided by Justice Nyako over him.

The IPOB leader said he was only in court because of the respect he has for the rule of law, adding that the judge had previously recused herself from the case.

Kanu said he was not happy with the decision of the chief judge who returned the case to Justice Nyako, insisting that the prosecution cannot prosecute him.

The IPOB leader insisted that Justice Nyako is biased over his case and should not preside over his case. He said poor knowledge of the court is affecting Nigeria.

The prosecution counsel took an objection to Kanu’s remarks and asked for a definite date for hearing since the prosecution has refused to file a written application. Awomolo said it was not right for Kanu to insult the court.

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Despite Kanu’s objection, Justice Nyako adjourned his case indefinitely. (CHANNELSTV)

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Supreme Court dismisses Fubara’s appeal against Amaewhule-led Rivers assembly

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Rivers: PDP kicks as Fubara defends Tinubu over peace deal
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Justice Uwani Abba-Aji-led five-man panel of Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, challenging the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and led by Martin Amaewhule.

Justice Uwani Abba-Aji while dismissing the appeal awarded a cost of two million naira against the governor payable to the Rivers State House of Assembly as the first respondent and Martin Amaewhule as the second respondent.

The dismissal of the appeal by Fubara was hinged on the withdrawal of the suit by his counsel, Yusuf Ali, CHANNELS TV reports.

Governor Fubara, had earlier officially withdrawn his appeal against the Court of Appeal’s ruling, which nullified the 2024 state budget.

The announcement was made on Monday by Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Governor Fubara initially presented the 2024 budget to the faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Edison Ehie in December 2023. However, on October 10, 2024, the Appeal Court in Abuja upheld a previous Federal High Court ruling from January 22, 2024, which declared the budget’s passage illegal.

The legal dispute arose after pro-Wike lawmakers, led by Martins Amaewhule, challenged the budget in court, arguing that it was not properly passed through the legally recognized Assembly.

Tensions between Fubara and his former political ally, Wike, have escalated, with the rift reportedly centered on control over the state’s political structures.

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In a social media post on Monday, Olayinka stated that Fubara’s decision to withdraw the appeal was an admission of wrongdoing.

He wrote: “Governor Fubara of Rivers State has withdrawn his appeal No. SC/CV/1071/2024 against the Appeal Court judgment declaring the 2024 Budget of the State illegal and ordering him to present the budget to the House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule.

The Appeal Court had upheld the ruling of Justice J. K. Omotosho in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/1613/2023, which directed the governor to re-present the budget to the Assembly under Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule.

By withdrawing the appeal, Governor Fubara has effectively accepted both the lower and appellate courts’ decisions, which deemed the initial budget presentation to three lawmakers as unlawful.”

As of the time of this report, Governor Fubara’s camp has yet to issue an official statement regarding the development.

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