The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two suspects, Nathaniel Makama Zabrang and Husain Umar Bawa, before Justice M.J. Zubairu of the Kaduna State High Court on charges related to internet fraud.
The duo is being prosecuted on separate charges bordering on impersonation and obtaining money under false pretence.
Zabrang, also known as Alicia Smith, is accused of impersonating a United States citizen on Instagram between January and June 2025. According to the EFCC, he defrauded multiple unsuspecting victims, obtaining a total of ₦10,019,028 (Ten Million, Nineteen Thousand and Twenty-Eight Naira).
Count two of his charge states:
> “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 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.”
Bawa, also known as Bernard Lewis, is alleged to have impersonated another U.S. citizen on Facebook throughout 2023, defrauding one Kathleen Harnandez of ₦8,613,989 (Eight Million, Six Hundred and Thirteen Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Nine Naira).
Count one of Bawa’s charge reads:
> “That you, Husain Umar Bawa (a.k.a Bernard Lewis), male, between January and December, 2023 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, impersonated Bernard Lewis (a citizen of United States of America) on “Facebook” and benefitted the sum of N8,613,989 from Kathleen Harnandez (a woman from United States America) 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.”
Both defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges. Prosecution counsel, K.S. Ogunlade, thereafter requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in the Nigeria Correctional Centre (NCC), Kaduna.
Justice Zubairu adjourned the case until August 11, 2025, for ruling on the bail applications and ordered that both accused persons be remanded in custody pending the court's decision.
Zabrang and Bawa were apprehended following credible intelligence linking them to cybercrime activities within the Kaduna Metropolis.
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