A United States federal high court has sentenced a 38-year-old Nigerian, Kingsley Utulu, to five years and three months in prison for orchestrating a major identity theft and wire fraud scheme that defrauded the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and private citizens of over $2.5 million.

According to reports, the conviction was announced by Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christopher Raia, FBI Assistant Director in New York. Utulu was charged with aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

According to Clayton, Utulu and his co-conspirators hacked into U.S.-based tax preparation services, stole personal information, and used it to file fraudulent tax returns and extract funds.

The FBI stressed that geography offers no protection for cybercriminals, reaffirming its global reach in tackling fraud.

Utulu was arrested in the United Kingdom and later extradited to the United States.

Along with his sentence, he was ordered to pay $3.68 million in restitution and forfeit $290,250 in proceeds from the crime.

His sentencing follows the recent convictions of two other Nigerians—Abel Daramola and Olutayo Ogunlaja—linked to an international romance scam that stole over $560,000. Both face up to 20 years in federal prison.

This wave of convictions highlights growing scrutiny and action against transnational cybercrime rings involving Nigerian nationals and other foreign actors targeting U.S. citizens and institutions.

There was tension as Heavily armed men reportedly attacked worshippers during Isha (night prayers) at Dole Moriki village, Moriki District of Zurmi Local Government Area.

One person has been confirmed killed and two others injured during the attack that sent shock through the community.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred at about 8:00 p.m. on Sunday when a group of armed bandits invaded the village and opened fire on Muslim worshippers observing Isha prayers in a local mosque.

“One person was confirmed dead at the scene, while two others sustained varying degrees of injuries as the bandits shot sporadically at worshippers during the prayer session,” Zagazola said.

Reports said security forces have been deployed to the area as normalcy slowly returns after the dreaded night attack.

The injured victims and the deceased were taken to General Hospital Moriki, where the wounded are currently receiving treatment.

The corpse was later released to relatives for burial, according to Islamic rites.

Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, said that the government has provided PSP waste operators across all the wards in the State to evacuate waste from all homes and neighbourhoods in the state for a fee.

He spoke on Thursday regarding the recent arrest of five persons arrested for having dumped refuse in the canal along Igando-Iba road Link Bridge.

They were arraigned and remanded in Kirikiri prison.

The Commissioner reiterated the resolve of the state government to punish people who engage in indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

He said that the State Government will ensure diligent prosecution of all the arrested people to serve as a deterrent to others.

He reminded all those with similar intentions to be wary because they risk three months’ imprisonment and a fine of N250,000.

In a statement signed byKunle Adeshina Director of Public Affairs MOE&WR said that the accused persons who were arraigned before a Magistrate Court sitting in Oshodi for dumping waste in a canal had their case adjourned till July 9.

They were identified as Quassim Jamiu, 44, from Kwara State, Ayo Jamiu, 18, from Kwara State, Alexander Innocent, 40, from Akwa Ibom, Oparinde Taiwo, 55- from Ogun State and Moses Adelowokan, 76 years old, from Osun State.

The men who were apprehended by a team from Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) and security men had conveyed the waste in a lorry and were in the process of dumping it into the canal when security men swooped on them.

These latest arrests are coming less than 48 hours after the State Government read the riot act to all those who engage in disobeying provisions of the State Environmental laws that if caught, they will face prosecution.