By SpringNewsNG | August 6, 2025

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kaduna Zonal Command, has arraigned two individuals — Nathaniel Makama Zabrang and Husain Umar Bawa — before Justice M.J. Zubairu of the Kaduna State High Court over alleged involvement in internet fraud, also known as cybercrime.

The suspects were charged separately on offenses bordering on impersonation and obtaining money under false pretenses.

According to one of the charges, Zabrang allegedly posed as Alicia Smith, an American citizen, on Instagram and defrauded multiple unsuspecting victims of a total sum of ₦10,019,028 between January and June 2025. The offense is said to contravene Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017, and is punishable under Section 309.

Similarly, Bawa is accused of impersonating Bernard Lewis, also a U.S. citizen, on Facebook between January and December 2023. He allegedly obtained ₦8,613,989 from one Kathleen Hernandez, a U.S. national. The offense also violates Sections 308 and 309 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Prosecuting counsel, K.S. Ogunlade, asked the court to fix a trial date and requested the remand of the defendants at the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Kaduna.

Justice Zubairu ordered the remand of both suspects in Kaduna prison and adjourned the case to August 11, 2025, for a ruling on their bail applications.

The EFCC confirmed that the arrest followed credible intelligence linking the duo to cybercrime operations within the Kaduna metropolis. Over ₦18.6 million allegedly acquired through online fraud has been recovered so far