Lecturer and Accomplice Jailed for N50m Extortion Scheme

On Wednesday, a judgment was delivered by Justice Augustin Odokwo at the Akwa Ibom State High Court in Ikot Ekpene, sentencing Abel Udo Jacob, a lecturer at Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, and his accomplice Innoc Nicholas Ntokon to a combined 11 years in prison for their involvement in a N50 million extortion scheme. The court found that between 2016 and 2020, Ntokon, described as the leader of a cult group, orchestrated a campaign of terror against businessman Edikan Jacob Jackson, using threats and intimidation to extract monthly payments.

Jacob facilitated the scheme by allowing the extorted funds to pass through his bank account. The court dismissed Jacob's defense regarding the funds being linked to a Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) contract, citing inconsistencies in his testimony.

Ntokon received an eight-year sentence for multiple counts of demand, menace, and terror, while Jacob received a three-year sentence, both to run concurrently. The court ordered them to jointly pay N25 million in restitution to the victim and forfeited identified vehicles to the state.