- Safiu Kehinde
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has on Tuesday arraigned a student, Collins Umor, over alleged impersonation.
As disclosed in statement issued on the commission’s official X handle on Wednesday, Umor was arraigned before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, by the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 1.
The defendant was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on fraudulent impersonation.
One of the counts reads: “That you, COLLINS MUSA INU UMOR, between September 2024 and June 2025 in Lagos, within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, directly made a false statement, wherein you held yourself out as a white woman “MIA KHALIFA” on your Twitter account, knowing same to be false and with intent that the representation is relied upon for the purpose of procuring the issuance of financial instrument to yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015”.
Umar pleaded “not guilty” to the offence.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Fanen Anum, asked the court for a trial date and also prayed for the remand of the defendant in a correctional centre.
Responding, the defence counsel, Abdullahi Daniel, informed the court of a motion on notice dated July 2, 2025, seeking the court to admit the defendant to bail.
“The defendant is a student and from a reputable family. The deponent of the affidavit is also in court and he is a business man. I pray the court to release the defendant to me pending the perfection of his bail,” he said.
In his verdict, Justice Osiagor admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N5 million and one surety in like sum.
According to the statement, the surety must have a reasonable means of livelihood and be a relative of the defendant.
The surety must also deposit two passport photographs with the court’s Registrar.
The defendant was handed over to his lawyer pending the perfection of his bail with the matter adjourned till November 25, 2025 for the commencement of trial.