Two students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, have been arraigned on separate one count charge of cybercrime before Justice N.I Buba of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu, Enugu State.

The defendants, Genesis Arinze Daniel and Chinedu Ayogu Christopher were docked on Thursday, 21st January 2021.

During the ruling, they pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them by the Enugu Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The duo were arrested based on intelligence on their alleged involvement in cybercrimes and obtaining money by false pretences from the unsuspecting victims, mostly foreigners.

Investigation by the EFCC revealed how Genesis created and operated Google and Instagram accounts using a stolen identity of Thomas Bradley, a United Kingdom national based in Florida,USA, to defraud other foreigners.

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He also created a Gmail account; tombradley689@gmail.com which he used to intercept emails messages and chats.

Genesis and Ayogu also engaged in a fraudulent online Forex Trading Company aside from acting as ‘pickers’ for a group of fraudsters.

In view of the plea of the defendants, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Ajobiewe asked for a trial date while counsel to the 1st and 2nd defendants; I. U. Okenwa  moved motions for the bail of their clients which was not opposed by the prosecution.

Justice Buba, after listening to both counsel, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of One Million (N1,000,000.00) each, and one surety each in like sum.

The Court adjourned the matter till 2nd February, 2021 for commencement of trial.

Many Nigerian students, especially those in federal and state institutions have been arrested and prosecuted for cybercrime related offences in several occasions.

On 3rd December 2020, Nnamdi Henry Chimezulem a.k.a. Dessey Marvel, an undergraduate in Rivers State institution, was arrested for running a phony investment scheme and in the process, defrauding his victims a sum of N850,000 (Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira).

Read Also: EFCC ARRESTS UNIVERSITY STUDENT FOR N850, 000 INVESTMENT SCAM

In July 2020, EFCC in Benin, Edo state, arrested one Kenneth Gift, a 22-year-old computer science student of the University of Port Harcourt, for allegedly engaging in internet fraud.

Also in September 2019, 25 students of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomosho, Oyo State, were arrested for their alleged involvement in various forms of cybercrime including romance scam, love scam, possession of forged documents, and obtaining money by false pretence.

The students who were between age 18 and 29 years old were arrested by operatives of the Advance Fee Fraud Unit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Abuja, at their off-campus hostels, following a three-day raid carried out between 16th and 19th September 2019.

Assessment

Eons Intelligence has realized that cybercrime related offences have been on the increase amongst youths especially those in Tertiary institutions.

Advisory

Relevant Government agencies are hereby advised to embark on non-stop campaigns to sensitive these young minds on the aftermath of these grave offences as the anti-graft agencies are on the top of their games to arrest and prosecute anyone found guilty.

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