My Mum Sold Our Land To Enrol Me In Yahoo School,’ 12-Year-Old Boy Confesses After Arrest
Twelve-year-old Munachi Udochukwu once lived a simple life with his family in Onitsha, Anambra State. Alongside his two siblings, he attended primary school and was well cared for by both parents. But that life took a tragic turn after the sudden death of his father — the family’s sole breadwinner.
Recounting how he ended up at an internet fraud training centre in Lagos, Munachi explained that his father’s death forced him out of school, as his mother’s petty trade could no longer sustain the household.
“I was woken up one early morning by the news of the sudden death of my father who left home for his business place the previous day,” he told detectives at the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Panti.
“His death shattered my dreams of a promising carrier in future as I was made to drop out of school since the proceed from my mother’s petty trading business was not enough to sustained the family.”
In desperation, Munachi’s mother sought help from a friend. Instead of financial aid, the friend introduced her to a criminal ring recruiting boys from the East into cybercrime.
“To her, the prospects was good as she believed that in less than one year, her young son would be rich enough to shoulder the burden and that her worries will be over,” he said.
To fund the move, Munachi revealed that his mother sold the only piece of land the family owned.
“The only thing that stood against the thought of a lavish lifestyle is the money to buy me a laptop, data and some few other items.
“Not wanting to fail again, she quickly, without thinking of the possible dangers ahead, sold the only land that was given to my father by his family to raise the fund.”
Soon after, Munachi arrived in Lagos with three other boys and was enrolled in what was referred to as a “Yahoo School”—a cybercrime training facility.
“At first, we were shown different romance online sites and how we can capture those seeking sexual pleasure for a token in dollars,” he said.
“We all had different roles to play in the quest to defraud a would-be client. We must perform our part perfectly, failure of which attracts severe beating. You are made to stay without food if the stake is high.”
Although he had only spent a few months at the centre before being arrested, Munachi said they saw little of the money they made.
“Most of the money we made goes to our teachers. The only thing we were given is food. Those who have graduated gets a fraction of the proceed from a successful deal.”
Confirming the arrests, Lagos State Commissioner of Police Moshood Jimoh—represented by command spokesman CSP Benjamin Hundeyin—revealed that ten suspects were apprehended when officers dismantled the cybercrime centre in Iju, Lagos.
Those arrested include the alleged ringleaders: Chibike Iheijika (23), Stanley Iheijika (22), Obiora Oyedibe (26), and Emmanuel Onedibe (25). Trainees nabbed during the raid include Munachi Udochukwu (12), Okorie Henry, Otoh Chisom (20), Okeke Kwufrochukwu (26), Uchenna Obeji (26), and Chinedu Ukachukwu (23).
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the principal suspects of the facility recruited the trainees from Anambra State, engaged them to commit internet fraud and other related crimes,” Hundeyin stated.
He added that proceeds from the scams were seized by the operators of the illegal school, and all suspects have been transferred to SCID, Yaba, for further investigation and prosecution.
Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the sponsors who financed the trainee’s enrolment in the school, as well as the owner of the facility where the criminal and illegal activities took place,” Hundeyin said.
