LAGOS (Reuters) – A Nigerian undergraduate has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for obtaining $47,000 (33,382 pounds) from an Australian woman by convincing her over the Internet that he was 57 years old, white, and madly in love with her.

Lawal Adekunle Nurudeen met his victim on the Internet in 2007 and convinced her that he was a British widower called Benson Lawson. He said he was an engineer working in Lagos whose wife and only child had been killed in a car accident.

"The victim, a 56-year-old woman from Australia, told the convict that she wanted a husband and all the men she had met always disappointed her," said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria's anti-corruption police.

"The convict, who is married with three children, instantly replied and told the victim she had met her Mr Right , He sent the picture of a white man to foreclose any suspicions."

The woman sent Nurudeen money for medical treatment and travel costs to visit Australia. He spent the funds on two plots of land and a Honda Prelude car.

Nigerian confidence tricksters have a long history of extorting money via the Internet through "419" scams, named after the clause that outlaws them in Nigeria's penal code. Many are never caught.

The EFCC said Nurudeen was ordered to pay around $10,000 immediately and a further $250 a month to his victim until the full amount stolen was returned. She would also receive the proceeds of the sale of his land and car.

oh oh
yahoo oh oh
yahoo oh oh
yahoo oh oh
Yahoozeeeeeeeeeeeeee  (inspirational jam)

Serves the bastard right

I hope he rots in jail!!

L O L. This is poor man justice. What do you think about politicians who steal more,


Like leaders, like followers, I think that the EFCC is being selective as always.

I wonder why so many of us believe in efcc?

Isn't this sentence a little bit harsh?

Its not harsh. i think its what we need to make yorubas stop tarnishing our image abroad. Enough is enogh for these yoruba and ibo criminals.

Lamidi-obi:

Its not harsh. i think its what we need to make yorubas stop tarnishing our image abroad. Enough is enogh for these yoruba and ibo criminals.

hmmm, yoruba man offend you ni?

yes, they offend me by doing 419 and tarnishing nigeria image. Tell them to make an honest living and stop too much partying.

Lamidi-obi:

Its not harsh. i think its what we need to make yorubas stop tarnishing our image abroad. Enough is enogh for these yoruba and ibo criminals.

lol. . . .

and to think but for Northern Nigeria, the world would be rid of Polio

The guy should rot in jail.

Lamidi-obi:

Its not harsh. i think its what we need to make yorubas stop tarnishing our image abroad. Enough is enogh for these yoruba and ibo criminals.

What if its a Hausa man using a Yoruba name, how do you know? , no one of course is certain of this. The title says "Nigerian." White man no know Yoruba or ibo, once you say "Nigerian" that phrase normally rings a bell. For some, it might be a positive bell and for others, it might just be a negative ring.

Got served!!!
but wait a minute. . . ,  Do you believe some people are DESTINED to succeed through fraud/scam or anything synonymous to "illegal" even if eventually caught and jailed?. I'm serious!!

I detest fraud of any kind, but 19 years seem to be much more than the young man bargained.
It just doesnt make much sense when we still have the likes of IBB, OBJ, Kalu, Ibori and co flying their jets here and there.

For Nurideen or what do you call him, 19 years behind the bars is not enough. For an undergraduate , probably under 25 years to swindle a 56 years widow in need of love is the height of callousness. If i had my way , i would cut the bastard to pieces and serve the bits to fishes. May his types burn off from the surface of the earth (amen0

Of course, no sane person would condone such act but 19 years is just too much, way too much.

The guy

What if its a Hausa man using a Yoruba name, how do you know? , no one of course is certain of this. The title says "Nigerian." White man no know Yoruba or ibo, once you say "Nigerian" that phrase normally rings a bell. For some, it might be a positive bell and for others, it might just be a negative ring.

He cannot be hausa because 419 is not in our blood. We don't steal or take what does not belong to us. If the criminal minded yorubas dont have a change of mind with their ibo brothers, we will increase their jail sentence to 30 years for any 419 activities. Very soon all of you here will have at least a cousin or brother in Nigeria jail.

19 years too harsh now!. This isn't justice, this is punishment. I don't support scam but 19 years is just not right. Not as if jails are correctional instead they destroy the person more. I hope he likes listening to pastors coming to preach in jail. cause he might be listening for 19 yrs. Seriously they should reduce it to about 4. For crying out loud the man has 3 kids. 80% chances they are adding three more problems to the Nigerian problems.

On the side, Nigeria should try and provide some books for those in jail to read. Socrates, Aristotle comes to mind. Give them books on these men and they might come out thinking like geniuses.

19 year for $47000 for imprisonment is that worth it.?
how about ibori, lucky, baba, Ibb. etc.
EFCC should go after big fish insted of young boys looking for how to earn a living due to the high level of unemployment.
stupid country.
    Nigeria is just No. 5 in THE WORLD (according to FOX news) after
CHINA
RUSSIA
INDIA and
USA.
so why the rant.
f@cking country.;

you sincerely believe nigeria is number 5 in the world? roflmao!!

you sincerely believe nigeria is number 5 in the world? roflmao!!

I hope you are being sarcastic, else ahhh there really ain't any hope for humanity.

Ah yes, another illustrious ambassador for the Nigerian cause, hard at work consolidating the reputation of his glorious homeland.

Give me that razor-sharpened machete and I will gladly administer the coup-de-grace, with a chit-eating grin on my face.   Praise the Lord.

Lamidi-obi:


He cannot be hausa because 419 is not in our blood. We don't steal or take what does not belong to us.

For those of you who were wondering why there are NO jails in Northern Nigeria, look no further than the above quote.

Petty theft of loose change is NOT in the character of northern Nigerians, and you can take that to the bank.

Industrial scale embezzlement from government coffers, however, is a revered tradition for patriots in power from ALL OVER Nigera, as the Late, Great, Always Mighty Sanni Abacha and The Ever Popular Evil Genius Ibrahim Babangida can attest.

Prasie the Lord !

kosovo:

I hope you are being sarcastic, else ahhh there really ain't any hope for humanity.

No I am not.  I find it hard to swallow that anyone would believe that Nigeria is merely at number 5 in the world.

No I am not. I find it hard to swallow that anyone would believe that Nigeria is merely at number 5 in the world.

that's just it man.
you got to beleive me.

kosovo:

that's just it man.
you got to beleive me.

I can't though cause past the numbers we make up in that country, you and I know that unemployment rate in Nigeria is closer to 50% than it is less. We are talking of a country here where there are next to no records of how many people are actually unemployed and no one seems to care much to gather that info. So how can anyone who has actually seen and lived life in that country believe it is only number 5 in the world?

Kobojunkie:

I can't though cause past the numbers we make up in that country, you and I know that unemployment rate in Nigeria is closer to 50% than it is less. We are talking of a country here where there are next to no records of how many people are actually unemployed and no one seems to care much to gather that information. So how can anyone who has actually seen and lived life in that country believe it is only number 5 in the world?

it's hard to beleive tough.
all the same, Nigeria is DOOMED!

Lamidi-obi:

The guy

http://www.notjustok.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/jim-iyke.jpg

why is the image named jim-iyke.jpg?

Mr Man, you are a fine one for pointing fingers . . .your peeps tarnish nigeria image in even more ridiculous ways - _{what sort of retard leads cows across an international runway?}

source pls?

19years is damm too much

He will not even serve 5 years of the whole anyway so why bother.

He spent the funds on two plots of land and a Honda Prelude car.

At least he invested the money only that the prelude part is funny. who still buys honda prelude now?

I think the govt should confiscate the properties.