Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, June 13, 2025, convicted and sentenced four Filipino nationals and eight Nigerians for their involvement in cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
The Filipinos were among the 729 persons arrested in December 2024 at a cybercrime hub located on Oyin Jolayemi Street, Lagos, in a large-scale crackdown on a Ponzi and cyber-terrorism syndicate.
The convicted Filipinos are Reyna Mae Eriba, Chyna Samonte, Zara Fabian, and Dominique Medina. The Nigerian convicts include Chidera Ezechukwu, Favour Oluchukwu, Egwenum Ifeanyi, David Okezie, Gbenga Shittu Solomon, Ibraheem Olamilekan, Chinecherem Michael, and Oghomienor Jotham.
The suspects were arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on separate charges of cyber-terrorism, internet fraud, and money laundering. All defendants pleaded guilty to the charges when read before the court.
One of the charges read against Chyna Samonte stated that she, in December 2024, “willfully accessed computer systems with the intent to destabilize Nigeria’s economic and social structures by employing Nigerian youths for identity theft under the guise of foreign nationals,” in violation of Section 18 of the Cybercrimes Act (2015, as amended in 2024) and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Another charge against Nigerian convict Chidera Ezechukwu detailed that he retained ₦12.75 million in a UBA account, suspected to be proceeds from an online dating scam—an offence under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.
Justice Bogoro, having found all 12 individuals guilty, ruled in favor of the prosecution’s request—led by EFCC counsels Anita Imo, S.I. Suleiman, H.U. Kofarnaisa, and B.M. Isah—that all exhibits, including cash, vehicles, electronic devices, and other items, be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The sentences are as follows: Reyna Mae Eriba, Chyna Samonte, Zara Fabian, and Dominique Medina were each sentenced to one year imprisonment and a fine of ₦1,000,000.
The court also directed the Comptroller-General of Immigration to deport them to the Philippines within seven days after completing their prison terms.
Gbenga Shittu Solomon was sentenced to one year imprisonment or an option of ₦700,000 fine.
Oghomienor Jotham, Chinecherem Michael, Ibraheem Olamilekan, Chidera Ezechukwu, David Okezie, Egwenum Ifeanyi, and Favour Oluchukwu each received one year imprisonment or an option of ₦500,000 fine.
The judgment marks one of the largest single-day convictions related to cybercrime in Nigeria, underscoring the government’s renewed push against cyber-terrorism and digital financial fraud.