Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of Janet Theophilus Danjuma, a bank employee, for defrauding an investor of N22,350,000 through a bogus investment scheme in Kano.

Danjuma was convicted on Monday,  by Justice S. M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court, Kano Division, and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine.

The defendant, a staff member of Taj Bank Limited, Nai’bawa Branch, was arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence.

According to the charge, Danjuma, sometime in October 2024 in Kano, dishonestly obtained N22,350,000 from one Wade Bamaiyi under the guise of investing the funds in Taj Bank’s CASA (Current Account Savings Account) programme.

The charge stated: “Janet Theophilus Danjuma, being a staff of Taj Bank Limited, Nai’bawa Branch Kano, sometime in October 2024 in Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N22,350,000 from Wade Bamaiyi under the pretext that the money would be invested in CASA Programme of Taj Bank Limited, which pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(b) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”

She pleaded guilty when the charge was read to her.

Sadiq Huseini, prosecuting counsel, while reviewing the facts of the case, told the court that the defendant exploited the name of a legitimate banking product to gain the confidence of her victim.

“The defendant used her position as a bank staff and the credibility of an existing financial product to deceive the complainant into parting with N22,350,000,” Huseini said. “Investigation traced the entire sum to her personal account.”

He urged the court to convict and sentence her in accordance with the law, arguing that the offence undermined public trust in the financial system.

In his ruling, Justice Shuaibu convicted Danjuma based on her guilty plea and sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment without an option of fine.

The EFCC said the conviction followed investigations which revealed that the so-called investment scheme was non-existent and that the funds were diverted for personal use.

Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday adjourned the $150 million dollars suit filed by Chianugo Peter, a Nigerian, against Google LLC and GoDaddy.com LLC over shutdown of his YouTubeAudio.com domain name until April 22 for hearing.

The case, which was before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, could not proceed due to the absence of the judge in today’s proceedings.

Although Emmanuel Ekpenyong, Peter’s lawyer, and Mark Mordi, who is counsel to Google LLC, were in court, Justice Egwuatu was said to be in another official assignment.

The matter was consequently fixed for April 22 for hearing.

Peter had filed the suit over allegations bordering on the shutdown of his YouTubeAudio.com domain name after eight years of promotional and marketing efforts in breach of the contract.

Peter, through his lawyer, named GoDaddy.Com LLC and Google LLC as the 1st and 2nd defendants in the suit filed on April 14, 2023 and marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/238/2023.

In his earlier originating summons filed by Ekpenyong of the law firm of Fred-Young & Evans LP, the Nigerian sought a $150 million in compensation from Google LLC and GoDaddy.com LLC for the alleged cyberspace contract breach.

The plaintiff alleged that the defendants shut down his domain and business name: YouTubeAudio.com and transferred the rights over the name to Google LLC, an American multinational technology company.

Google LLC, in its initial statement of defence dated Nov. 9, 2023, and filed Nov. 10, 2023, by its lawyer, Mr Mordi, SAN, of the law firm of Aluko & Oyebode, urged the court to dismiss Peter’s suit as being unmeritorious and lacking in merits.

Justice Egwuatu had, in April 2024, gave Chianugo Peter the go-ahead to amend his originating processes after his lawyer moved the application for same and it was not opposed by the defence counsel.

In his amended statement of claim dated April 29, 2024, Peter sought ten reliefs.

He sought a declaration that GoDaddy.com was wrong to shut down the YouTubeAudio.com domain name on Dec. 7, 2022 and that Google was wrong to remove “YTAudio” with its website youtubeaudio.com from its Google PlayStore on Dec. 25, 2023 without adequate compensation to him.

He said this is notwithstanding that YouTubeAudio.com domain and business name is different and distinct from YouTube trademarks.

Chianugo Peter wants the court to declare that he is entitled to compensation from the defendants for the loss of the YouTubeAudio.com brand and goodwill which has accrued on the brand and domain name for eight years of promotional and marketing works from July 2, 2015 to Dec. 7, 2022.

He sought an order directing the defendants to pay the sum of $50 million to him for promotional and marketing works on the YouTube Audio business name and YouTube Audio.com domain name for eight years from July 2, 2015 to Dec. 7, 2022.

He sought a $100 million in damages for loss of anticipated profits associated with the brand equity and goodwill of YouTube Audio and YouTube Audio.com domain name.

Peter also sought from the defendants, the sum of 50 million naira to enable him to carry out fresh registrations of its new name and secure an alternative domain name to host its application to attract users.

The Nigerian sought an order directing the defendants to pay the sum of 10 million naira to him for prosecution of the suit.

Alternatively, Peter prayed the court for an order for GoDaddy.com to reinstate and hoist the YouTubeAudio.com domain name which was shut down on Dec. 7, 2022 and for Goggle to also reinstate YouTubeAudio.com on its Google PlayStore platform which was unilaterally removed on Dec. 25, 2023.

Chianugo Peter submitted that he acquired rights over YouTubeAudio.com domain name from Go Daddy.com LLC who conducted a search before confirming that he could make use of the name.

The plaintiff averred that he promoted the domain and business name from 2014 to 2022 and even wrote to Google to introduce YouTubeAudio’s services and to partner with it in 2014 and 2021 but received no response from it on both occasions.

He said in February 2021, he applied for and YouTubeAudio.com was registered on Google Adsense platform for displaying advertisement on the website.

Besides, Peter said in August 2021, the domain and business name was registered on Google Playstore.

According to him, the plaintiff consistently paid GoDaddy.com LLC for registration and use of the domain name from 2015 to 2022.

But Google LLC, in its amended statement of defence and counterclaim dated and filed May 31, 2024, averred that its registration of the YOUTUBE trademarks at the Trademarks Registry gives it the exclusive night to the use of the said trademarks.

It submitted that it has incurred expenses in the sum of 24,040 64 dollars in dealing with Peter’s “deliberate infringement of the counterclaimant’s YOUTUBE trademarks.”

The company, therefore, sought a declaration that Peter’s registration and use of the YouTubeAudio business name with BN 2395035 at the CAC is an infringement of its YOUTUBE registered trademarks.

It prayed the court for an order directing Peter to pay the company the total sum of $24,040.64 being the expenses incurred in dealing with his infringement of the YOUTUBE registered trademarks.

It equally sought an order directing the plaintiff to pay the company the cost of defending the suit.

In his amended reply to Google’s amended statement of defence dated 12th July 2024, Peter responded that it is not in doubt that Google LLC owns YouTube trademarks, however, YouTubeAudio is distinct and different from YouTube trademarks.

Chianugo Peter submitted that Google LLC, being a foremost search engine in the world, knew that he had earlier written to it, that he was making use of the YouTubeAudio domain name for the past eight years without any objection or caveat by either GoDaddy.com or Google.

“Hence, Google LLC is estopped from claiming any right over the YouTubeAudio domain name,” he said.

GoDaddy.com LLC had neither filed any process nor represented in court.

Federal Government has said it will conduct a comprehensive review of the proposed $6.2bn acquisition of IHS Holding Limited by MTN Group, citing the strategic importance of telecommunications infrastructure to Nigeria’s economy and national security.

The move follows an earlier announcement that MTN Group had agreed to acquire IHS Holding Limited in an all-cash transaction valued at $6.2bn, a deal that would see the tower company delisted and become a wholly owned subsidiary of the mobile network operator.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy,said the government was closely monitoring developments.

“The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy notes recent developments in the Nigerian telecommunications sector regarding the acquisition of IHS Towers by MTN Group,” the statement signed by the minister partly read.

“The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy notes recent developments in the Nigerian telecommunications sector regarding the acquisition of IHS Towers by MTN Group,” the statement signed by the minister partly read.

The proposed transaction would consolidate ownership of critical passive infrastructure under the continent’s largest mobile operator by subscribers.

Tijani acknowledged recent improvements in the industry’s financial health, noting that “recent financial results announced by key operators indicate a return to improved profitability, increased investment in telecoms infrastructure and operational stability across the sector.”

“This progress reflects the resilience of the industry and the impact of reforms aimed at ensuring its viability and capacity to continue delivering meaningful connectivity to Nigerians,” he added.

However, he stressed that the government would not treat the transaction as routine, given the sensitivity of telecoms assets.

“Given the strategic importance of telecommunications infrastructure to national security, economic growth, financial services, innovation, and social inclusion, and to ensure strategic actions by private sector operators are in line with the market development agenda under the Renewed Hope policy directions of the President, the ministry will undertake a thorough assessment of this development in collaboration with the relevant regulatory authorities to review its impact on the sector,” the minister stated.

The minister made the government’s position clear. “Our objective is clear to ensure that any market consolidation or structural changes protect consumers, safeguard investments, and preserve the long-term sustainability of the sector.”

He added that the administration remained committed to maintaining “a stable, transparent, and forward-looking policy environment that keeps Nigeria’s telecommunications industry on a strong and sustainable path, in alignment with our broader vision of building a robust digital economy.”

The review is expected to involve relevant regulators, including the Nigerian Communications Commission and competition authorities, as part of standard merger control processes.

If approved, the deal would mark one of the largest telecom infrastructure transactions in Africa in recent years, signalling a shift in strategy by MTN from asset-light tower outsourcing to direct infrastructure ownership