Three Sentenced for Facebook and TikTok Fraud in Kaduna

The Kaduna State High Court has sentenced three individuals to prison for their involvement in internet fraud conducted on Facebook and TikTok within the state.

Aliyu Hassan, Samuel Olamide, and Solomon Joseph Christian were each found guilty of single counts related to criminal impersonation and fraudulent activities.

These sentences were announced on Tuesday, March 17, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through its verified account on X.

The anti-corruption agency noted that the Kaduna Zonal Directorate secured these convictions in front of Justice A. Isiaka.

As per the details provided, Hassan, who is also known as Ottaviani Loverules Giovanni, impersonated a Brazilian national on Facebook on February 9, 2026, defrauding a victim named Kerry of N90,000.

In a similar case, Olamide, alias Johnny, posed as an American citizen on TikTok on the same date and duped an individual named Jackie Sanders.

Christian, who goes by the name Jenort, also impersonated someone else on Facebook in February 2026 and fraudulently obtained $150 from his victim.

The EFCC highlighted that these actions breached Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law from 2017.

It was reported that all defendants pleaded guilty, leading the prosecuting counsel, M.U. Gadaka, to request the court to impose appropriate sentences on them.

Justice Isiaka subsequently issued a sentence of five years’ imprisonment for each convict, offering an alternative option of a N300,000 fine.

Additionally, the court mandated the forfeiture of assets seized from the defendants to the Federal Government. Hassan forfeited N90,000 along with a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 used in perpetrating the fraud; Olamide relinquished a Samsung Galaxy S21; and Christian forfeited an iPhone 14 Pro along with the $150 that was considered proceeds of their criminal activities.

The EFCC stated that the convicts were apprehended in the Agwa/Kudende locale of Kaduna following reliable intelligence that connected them to fraudulent internet practices.