A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday convicted and sentenced 15 foreign nationals—including 11 Filipinos, two Chinese, one Malaysian, and one Indonesian—to one year imprisonment each for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the individuals on separate charges of possessing fraudulent documents and engaging in online criminal activities aimed at destabilising Nigeria’s economic and social structures.

Among the convicted individuals are Winnie De Jesus, Kayceelynn Remorin, Irish Chna, Darwisa Esmael, Kimberly Nisperos, Savien Cire Renovilla, Zeng Zerong, Guo Bin, Jessa Sanchi, Jhena Sarmiento, Rain Torida, Rex Jose Dilag (alias Madison), Tan Soon Kar, Fernando Fu Fang, and Beverlyin Gumayo (alias Veb Sumayo).

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One of the charges against them stated that they “wilfully caused to be accessed, computer systems organised to seriously destabilise and destroy the fundamental economic and social structure of Nigeria” by recruiting Nigerian youths for identity theft schemes and impersonation of foreign nationals for financial gain.

In one count, Kayceelyn Remorin was accused of impersonating a woman named ‘Anastacia Lim’ to defraud victims, which the EFCC said contravened multiple sections of the Cybercrimes Act.

All defendants pleaded guilty to the charges when arraigned and entered into a plea bargain with the EFCC. Following this, prosecuting counsels N.K. Ukoha, T. J. Banjo, and N. C. Mutfwang urged the court to convict them accordingly.

Justices Yellin Bogoro and Alexander Owoeye sentenced each convict to one year in prison with an option of a N1 million fine. In addition, the judges directed the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service to ensure their deportation to their respective home countries within seven days of completing their jail terms.

Midnight Fire Destroys Six Shops In Cross River

Tragedy struck the Atimbo area of Calabar, the Cross River State capital, as a midnight inferno engulfed six shops, reducing goods worth millions of naira to ashes.

The fire, which broke out around 12 a.m. on Friday, affected a row of shops including a laundry service, a DSTV subscription outlet, a pharmacy, a barbing salon, a tailoring shop, and an eatery.