Lecturer Sentenced to 8 Years for ₦50M Extortion Scheme

Innoc Ntokon, a lecturer at Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, was sentenced to eight years in prison by Justice Augustin Odokwo on Wednesday for his role in a ₦50 million extortion scheme. Ntokon was found guilty of mercilessly extorting Edikan Jacob Jackson, a local businessman, between 2016 and 2020, which nearly caused the collapse of Jackson's family business.

The prosecution presented evidence that Ntokon, identified as a leader of a cult group, used threats of violence, including death threats against Jackson's family, to compel monthly payments. The court rejected Ntokon's defense, which claimed that the funds were for legitimate contracts with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The judge emphasized the psychological trauma inflicted on the victim and ordered Ntokon to forfeit assets worth ₦25 million, including a Toyota Avensis and a Mercedes Benz, to the state. The court's ruling aimed to ensure that such crimes do not go unpunished.