Ndidi Joshua Bobby will spend the next 42 years in prison after an Ikeja court found him guilty of defrauding a victim of €80,000 through an internet scam.
The court handed down the lengthy sentence following Bobby's conviction on charges related to the online fraud scheme. The case represents one of the growing number of internet scam prosecutions in Lagos, where cyber fraudsters have increasingly targeted both local and international victims.
Details of how Bobby carried out the scam and the identity of the victim were not disclosed in court proceedings. The €80,000 sum, equivalent to roughly N48 million at current exchange rates, underscores the scale of losses victims suffer at the hands of online fraudsters operating from Nigeria.
Law enforcement agencies have intensified efforts to crack down on internet fraud networks in recent years. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Nigeria Police Force have made numerous arrests and secured convictions against fraudsters who use various schemes, from romance scams to business impersonation and advance fee frauds.
The 42-year sentence sends a signal to other potential offenders about the consequences of engaging in online fraud. Courts have increasingly handed down substantial prison terms in these cases, though some sentences are later reduced on appeal.
Bobby's case will join a long list of internet fraud convictions in Lagos courts. Prosecutors will likely pursue additional charges or proceed with other pending cases against individuals arrested in connection with cyber crime networks operating in the state.
