From Femi Mustapha, in Kaduna
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two men, Nathaniel Zabrang and Husain Bawa, before Justice M.J. Zubairu of the Kaduna State High Court over alleged internet fraud.
The duo were arraigned on separate charges bordering on impersonation and obtaining money under pretenses.
According to the EFCC, Zabrang and Bawa were arrested in the Kaduna metropolis following credible intelligence linking them to fraudulent internet activities.
Zabrang allegedly posed as an American citizen named Alicia Smith on Instagram between January and June 2025, and fraudulently obtained a total of N10,019,028 from several unsuspecting victims.
The charges against Zabrang read: “That you, Nathaniel Makama Zabrang, (a.k.a Alicia Smith), male, between January and June, 2025 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, impersonated one Alicia Smith (a citizen of United States of America) on ‘Instagram’ (an online social media application) and benefitted the total sum of N10,019,028 (Ten Million, Nineteen Thousand and Twenty Eight Naira) from several unsuspecting victims and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”
Similarly, Bawa was charged with impersonating Bernard Lewis, who also claimed to be a U.S. citizen, on Facebook between January and December 2023. He allegedly defrauded a woman named Kathleen Harnandez of the sum of N8,613,989.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
Following their plea, prosecution counsel K.S. Ogunlade requested the court to fix a date for trial and to remand the defendants in the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Kaduna.
Justice Zubairu adjourned the matter to August 11, 2025, for ruling on the defendants’ bail applications.
He also ordered that they be remanded in the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Kaduna, pending the ruling.
