Two men have been convicted and sentenced in Lagos after admitting to internet fraud following their arrest during a large-scale EFCC sting operation at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) hotel in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The convicts, identified as 50-year-old Yusuf Ramon and Ganiyu Ibrahim, were among ninety-three suspects apprehended on August 10, 2025, when anti-graft officials raided the hotel inside the OOPL premises. Both men later faced trial at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, where Justice D.I. Dipeolu delivered judgment on Tuesday, August 19.
According to prosecutors, Ramon had created a fake Instagram profile under the name “Anna Marry,” where he impersonated a white woman with the aim of defrauding unsuspecting victims. Ibrahim was accused of running a Facebook account under the alias “Elena Pears,” through which he deceived a man named Brad, obtaining $150 by pretending to be a white American woman. His fraudulent activities were linked to an iPhone 13 seized during the investigation.
Both men pleaded guilty when brought before the court. EFCC counsel S.M. Yabo presented evidence that included their written confessions, mobile devices, forensic reports, and a ₦200,000 restitution draft from Ibrahim. The court admitted the materials as exhibits before delivering judgment.
Justice Dipeolu convicted the two defendants, sentencing Ramon to one month in prison with the option of a ₦200,000 fine, while ordering the forfeiture of his two iPhones to the federal government. Ibrahim received an identical sentence with a ₦200,000 fine option, in addition to losing his iPhone 13 and the restitution draft to the government.
Their sentencing forms part of an ongoing crackdown on cybercrime linked to the OOPL raid. Earlier, the EFCC secured convictions against three other suspects — Adewale Adewole Adenekan, Oyatokun Damilola Qudus, and Adisa Okikiade — who all pleaded guilty to similar offences. On August 15, Justice Dipeolu also convicted another trio, Isaac Akinwale, Ibrahim Azeez Olatunji, and Habeeb Oladipupo Oshundairo, while a fourth defendant who pleaded not guilty remains in custody.
The EFCC has described the string of convictions as a significant victory in its fight against cybercrime, warning that it will continue to pursue internet fraudsters across Nigeria with renewed determination.