The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to Mr Arinze Nwogba, the man accused of impersonating the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB.
Justice Salim Ibrahim, in his ruling on Thursday, said the alleged crime is bailable and not a capital offence. He admitted Nwogba to N50 million bail with two sureties in like sum.
The court ordered that one of the sureties must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 14. Both sureties, according to the judge, must live within the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, with one residing in Asokoro, Maitama or Guzape.
Justice Ibrahim also directed the sureties to depose to an affidavit of means and submit their tax clearance certificates for the last two years. Both the defendant and his sureties are to submit photocopies of their National Identification slips.
He ordered the court registrar to verify all the bail documents alongside the prosecution.
Until he perfects his bail conditions, Nwogba will remain in Kuje Correctional Centre. The case was adjourned to October 19 for trial to begin.
Nwogba, who was arraigned on Friday, is being prosecuted by the Inspector-General of Police on a six-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/612/2026.
The police accused him of impersonating Prof. Segun Aina, the JAMB Registrar, by using his picture on WhatsApp and Truecaller with phone number 08139433155 to gain financial advantage. The offence is said to be contrary to the Cybercrimes Act, 2015 as amended in 2024.
According to the police, the JAMB Registrar had petitioned the I-G over a criminal gang using his name, picture and phone number to defraud unsuspecting members of the public on WhatsApp and LinkedIn.
Nwogba, who resides at No. 16, Emeka Egbe by Roban Stores, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, was said to have committed the act with others now at large.
“The investigating team decided to engage the fraudsters directly using the WhatsApp number he advertised on LinkedIn.
“The fraudsters who already used the image of JAMB registrar as profile pictures both on WhatsApp and truecaller in order to deceive innocent Nigerians informed his victims that he wants to offer them a contract and he has obtained necessary approvals from the Minister of Education,” it said.