A court in Ilorin, a state in Kwara, sentenced a tailor to one year after he was convicted of impersonating an EFCC official and defrauding a victim of ₦300,000. The accused, Abdulraheem Isiaq, was charged with impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence.
From proceedings in court, Isiaq swindled a resident of the state by purporting to be an EFCC official. He indicated that he could help the victim close a fictitious case of investigation for a fee. The victim gave him ₦300,000 in good faith.
After he had collected the money, Isiaq went underground. His victim, who had come to discover that he was being defrauded, complained to the EFCC office in Ilorin, and it promptly instituted an investigation. Isiaq was later arrested and charged before Justice Mahmoud Abdulgafar of Kwara State High Court.
The accused also pleaded guilty to the charge while in court. The prosecutor produced evidence in the form of his written confession and bank statements of transactions made. Facts were used by the judge to sentence him to one year imprisonment with the option of a fine of ₦150,000.
Flashback: Fake Officers on the Rise
In January 2023, a pair of men in Lagos were arrested for impersonating police officers and extorting business individuals. That case, similar to the current one, brought up issues about people posing as law enforcement agents to exploit others. The trend in impersonation has pushed security agencies to intensify public sensitization campaigns and call for tougher punishment against offenders.
Back to the Current Case
The court also ordered the convict to pay back the ₦300,000 he fraudulently gained from the victim. The EFCC informed members of the general public that its operations are never carried out through middlemen and urged people to report anyone who tells them otherwise.
EFCC spokesmen advised people to be vigilant and verify identities prior to releasing information or money. They made a point of emphasizing that impersonation was an offense punishable by law and assured the public of further action taken against such individuals.
