5 Yahoo Boys sentenced to prison in Calabar

Five internet fraudsters, commonly referred to as “Yahoo Boys,” have each been sentenced to six months in prison by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State.

The convicts—Okon Dennis Akpan, Franklin Agara Mbeh, Peter Chinedu Okpaga, Nwofoke Celestine, and Paul Egede Chinedu—were sentenced on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, after pleading guilty to separate charges of criminal impersonation brought against them by the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a statement, the EFCC disclosed that one of the charges read: “That you, Nwofoke Celestine ‘M’ sometime in 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently impersonate Victoria Chiara on Facebook with the intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2)(b)(i) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act 2015 and punishable under the same Section.”

Following their guilty pleas, EFCC counsel Temiloluwa Oladipupo presented the facts of the case and urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.

Justice Ojukwu wasted no time in delivering her judgment, convicting each of the defendants and sentencing them to six months’ imprisonment. In addition to the custodial sentence, each convict was fined One Million Naira (₦1,000,000.00).

The court also ordered the forfeiture of all items used in the commission of the crimes to the Federal Government.

The convicts were earlier apprehended by EFCC operatives for internet-related offences and were subsequently prosecuted and sentenced.