A 40-year-old Nigerian man, Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu, has been jailed for eight years in the United States for his role in hacking, identity theft and multimillion-dollar fraud schemes.

Amachukwu, also known as Chukwuemeka Victor Eletuo and So Kwan Leung, was sentenced by US District Judge Paul G. Gardephe after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit computer intrusions and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, in a statement issued on October 19,  Amachukwu and his co-conspirators targeted US tax preparation businesses, stole customers’ personal information and used the data to submit fraudulent tax returns and loan applications.

The schemes, which began in at least 2019, involved spear-phishing emails used to gain access to the electronic systems of tax preparation businesses in New York, Texas and other states.

The conspirators reportedly stole tax and identifying information belonging to customers of the targeted businesses, affecting approximately 800 customers in the identified hacking scheme.

They subsequently used stolen identities to file fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service and state tax authorities, seeking refunds totalling about $8.4 million.

According to the prosecution. the group successfully obtained at least $2.5 million through the fraudulent tax claims.

The conspirators also exploited the US Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan programme, obtaining approximately $819,000 in fraudulent payouts.

In a separate investment fraud scheme, Amachukwu allegedly offered victims investments in purportedly valuable standby letters of credit, impersonating a wealthy overseas financier to convince them the investments were genuine.

The investments did not exist, and Amachukwu and his associates obtained more than $7 million in fraudulent proceeds, the court filings said.

US Attorney Jamie McDonald said Amachukwu had targeted victims while believing he could operate beyond the reach of American law enforcement.

“Amachukwu took part in sophisticated schemes to hack into U.S. businesses, steal and use stolen identity information of victims, and commit fraud,” McDonald said.

He added that the crimes caused significant harm to victims and the public, making a substantial prison sentence appropriate.

In addition to the eight-year prison term, Amachukwu was sentenced to one year of supervised release and ordered to pay $3.64 million in restitution and forfeit $10.84 million.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted with the investigation, which was prosecuted by the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit of the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

The ten-member independent committee set up by the Federal Government to investigate the cause of deaths of the 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger state, has blamed extreme heat and congestion their deaths.

The committee found that the miners died from asphyxiation, a condition in which the body is deprived of adequate oxygen, potentially leading to unconsciousness, organ damage or death.

Chairman of the committee, Jonathan Kure, spoke on Tuesday while presenting the panel’s report to Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, in Abuja.

The Federal Government constituted the committee on September 19 following a directive by President Bola Tinubu for a “full and transparent” investigation into the deaths of the suspected illegal miners.

Tunji-Ojo announced the decision in a statement in which he listed the names of the 21 officers suspended in connection with the incident.

The NSCDC said the suspects were arrested during operations conducted on September 15 and 16 around Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, the Niger state capital.

In a statement, Suberu Aniviye, the NSCDC commandant in Niger state, said “scores of the detained suspects were found dead in the early hours of Thursday following a suspected outbreak of disease”.

Following the development, the Federal Government suspended the Niger state NSCDC commandant and ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

However, on October 6, the panel requested a two-week extension to submit its report on the matter.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Kure said the panel travelled to Minna and inspected the custody facility, conducted autopsies, took witness statements from NSCDC personnel, survivors, families and other witnesses, and collected documentary and forensic evidence.

He noted that preliminary findings showed institutional gaps and overzealousness on the part of some officers, adding that greater professionalism was required in handling such sensitive cases.

Ahead of the 2027 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has uploaded the preliminary voter register to its online platform following calls for broader public access.

Mohammed Haruna, chairman of INEC’s information and voter education committee, in a statement issued on Monday, said the preliminary register of voters displayed between October 9 and 15 will be updated.

“In accordance with section 19 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the commission conducted the physical display of the register at registration areas nationwide from 9th to 15th October, 2026, providing registered voters the opportunity to inspect their particulars and submit claims and objections as prescribed by law,” he said.

Haruna added that the online publication followed the physical display of the preliminary register at registration areas nationwide, in line with Section 19 of the Electoral Act 2026.

The chairman of the information and voter education committee said the online publication would complement the physical exercise and provide wider access to the register.

“Accordingly, and in furtherance of its commitment to transparency, accessibility and public confidence in the electoral process, the commission has decided to make available on its online platform https://display.inecnigeria.org the same preliminary register of voters earlier displayed at the registration areas, ” Haruna said.

“This additional measure complements the physical display already undertaken and is intended to facilitate wider public access to the register.

“Meanwhile, the commission continues to process claims and objections arising from the exercise in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026, preparatory to the certification and publication of the final register of voters on 15th December 2026.”

He reiterated the commission’s commitment to transparency, accountability and implementation of the Electoral Act 2026.