The Sokoto Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought charges against Jamilu Nabunkari and Bashar Sani before Justice Mohammed Mohammed of the Sokoto State High Court. The accusations revolve around the alleged fraudulent acquisition of N2,900,000 (Two Million Nine Hundred Thousand Naira) through a land scam. Nabunkari and Sani were arraigned on two-count charges, both stemming from obtaining funds under false pretences. The charges levelled against them include conspiracy to commit an illegal act and the fraudulent obtaining of funds from Lawali Tukur Faru through false representation of land sale. The first count detailed the…
Author: Adewale A.
Oyo and Ogun courts have delivered decisive blows against cybercrime, with Justices A.L. Akintola, O.A. Lajide, and O.A. Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, alongside Justice B.B. Adebowale of the Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta, handing down convictions to sixteen individuals involved in internet fraud. Additionally, Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court in Ibadan played a significant role in these legal proceedings. The convicted individuals, after pleading guilty to separate one-count charges, faced arraignment by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Among those sentenced were Arode Opeyemi Amos,…
Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi stands at the helm of the Department of State Services (DSS) with a reputation for integrity, firmness, and dedication. As the Director General of the DSS, Bichi has exhibited numerous commendable characteristics that have not only defined his leadership style but have also shaped the institution he leads. One of Bichi’s most notable qualities is his unwavering stance against corruption. With zero tolerance for corrupt practices, he has implemented stringent measures to ensure that the DSS operates with the highest standards of integrity and transparency. Under his leadership, the agency has become a beacon of integrity…
Landed properties have proven to be one of the most visible indicators of personal wealth. As they are easily identified and immovable, it makes generating revenue from them relatively easy for both landlords and governments. In most OECD countries, property taxes account for 1-2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while in other countries collection amounts to only 0.1 – 0.2% of their GDP. Revenue potentials from the property-related taxes include Land Use Charges, Capital Gains Tax, Withholding Tax on rental Income, Personal Income on Rental Income, Stamp Duties, Building Plan Approvals, Ratification and regularisation fees. Although Nigeria’s real estate…
Ogoni is one of the world’s most celebrated cases of state-sponsored repression. Against all odds, the people have persevered in the search for justice, equity and basic freedoms deserving of all humanity. Indeed, it has been a painful account that in our own country, our government ordered a military crackdown that left some 4,000 people dead, and thousands of others went through torture, rape, and brutal detentions which were supervised by Major Paul Okuntimo, the commander of the military task force at the time. Trouble started in 1958 when the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s subsidiary of…
Honourable Dr Sikirulai Ogundele, the former Chairman of Ifo Local Government and Chairman/CEO of Neugate Hotels, Abeokuta, will be conferred with the chieftaincy title of Obalumore of Owu Kingdom by His Royal Majesty, Oba Prof Saka Ademilola Matemilola FNSE, the Olowu of Owu Kingdom. The installation ceremony will take place at the Oke Ago Owu Palace, Abeokuta, on February 22, 2024, at 10.00 am. The chieftaincy honour bestowed on Hon Ogundele is in recognition of his immense contribution to the peace and development of the Owu Kingdom and Ogun State in general.
In a decisive ruling, Justice Abdulhamid Yakubu of the Gombe State High Court delivered a verdict on February 12, 2024, that sentenced Isiyaku Dahiru and his company, Zafran and Brothers Investment Limited, to twelve months imprisonment for their involvement in a fraudulent scheme amounting to N3.5 million. The conviction stemmed from charges brought forward by the Gombe Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), centred on allegations of cheating and fraudulent conversion. The accused were charged with dishonestly obtaining N3.5 million from Usman Ahmad under false pretences, purportedly for the purchase of 700 bags of salt. Upon…
In a proactive move against cybercrime, operatives from the Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) made a significant breakthrough on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, with the arrest of 14 individuals suspected of involvement in internet fraud. The arrests took place at a purported “Yahoo Academy” operating discreetly within a residential area along Achusa Road in Makurdi, Benue State. Acting on actionable intelligence, EFCC operatives raided a three-bedroom apartment believed to be serving as a training centre for potential internet fraudsters. The suspects, identified as Asongu Terungwa, Aese Sonter, Nyoosu Terungwa, John Kator, Udi Micheal Aodona,…
In a significant development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has made strides in the trial of Nwachi Chidozie Kingsley, who stands accused of defrauding an American citizen, Nicole Kierulff Sayers, of $370,000 through a contrived marriage. Testifying as the Second Prosecution Witness (PW2), Okanne Kelechi revealed before Justice U.P Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, that the EFCC has successfully recovered $13,204 along with other assets from the defendant. Among the recovered assets detailed by Kelechi were a plot of land in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and…
The Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Rivers Marine Command, Port Harcourt, Bashir Mohammed Lawal, has extended commendations to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its proactive measures in combating economic and financial crimes. Lawal further emphasised the necessity for enhanced collaboration between the two agencies, particularly in information and intelligence sharing. Lawal conveyed his appreciation during a courtesy visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the EFCC on Monday, February 12, 2024. As the newly appointed Comptroller of Immigration for Rivers Marine Command, Lawal expressed his eagerness to foster a robust relationship and synergy with…
In a recent development, the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has initiated legal proceedings against Obinna Calistus Okoli, the Chairman of the Onitsha/Odekpe Plastic Market Association. Okoli stands accused before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Awka, Anambra State, for allegedly obtaining funds under false pretences to the tune of N6,700,000. The arraignment, which took place on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, saw Okoli and the Onitsha/Odekpe Plastic Market Association facing a two-count charge related to fraudulent activities involving the aforementioned sum of money. One of the charges reads: “That you, Obinna…
The Department of Development Control under the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council has raised concerns over the escalating issue of land grabbing within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), prompting a call for assistance from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The appeal was made during a visit to the EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, February 15, 2024. Mukhtar Usman Galadima, the Director of the department, led a delegation of senior officials, highlighting the need for collaboration in addressing the growing menace of land grabbing and unauthorised developments in the region. Galadima stated, “We are here specifically to seek collaboration…
The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently brought Ajayi Oluwabukola Temitope before the Oyo State High Court, accusing her of defrauding her victims of N58,458,000 through false pretences. On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, Temitope was arraigned before Justice Kamorudeen Babatunde Olawoyin on four counts of obtaining money by false pretence, a violation of Section 419 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000. One of the charges detailed how Temitope allegedly deceived Alhaji Yusuf Nadabo into parting with N23,183,000 under the guise of supplying four trucks of RC Cola, Zero…
In a significant ruling at the Kaduna State High Court, Justice A. A. Isiaka has delivered convictions and imposed prison sentences on three individuals found guilty of internet-related fraud. The convicted individuals, namely Ogochukwu Mitchel Emmanuel Ijeh, Mohammed Kabir Bello, and Sunday Simon (known as Ryan Eggold), were sentenced following their admission of guilt to separate charges brought against them by the Kaduna State Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Ogochukwu Mitchel Emmanuel Ijeh, also known as Dave Brandon, was charged with presenting himself falsely as a Medical Doctor named Dave Brandon, purportedly working at the…
In a landmark ruling on Thursday, February 15, 2024, Justice A. Abdussalam of the Gombe State High Court, situated in Gombe, delivered a decisive blow against fraudulent activities by convicting and sentencing Kelvin Tikus, a 36-year-old employee of the Nigerian Correctional Service, to three years imprisonment for perpetrating an employment scam. Tikus found himself in the dock after the Gombe Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought forward a one-count charge of fraudulent conversion against him. The charge, as read by the court, outlined Tikus’s deceitful actions, stating that he, in August 2021 within the jurisdiction…
BudgIT, a leading civic-tech organization promoting transparency, accountability, and effective service delivery in Nigeria, under its State Fiscal Transparency League project, has extensively assessed the procurement websites of Nigeria’s 36 states to evaluate the level of transparency and accessibility of procurement-related information to the public. The assessments, categorized into three categories – Green, Yellow, and Red – are as follows: green indicates that a state’s e-procurement portal is operating and data is available; yellow shows that a state has functional portals but outdated data, while red shows a state has neither an eProcurement portal nor data. Based on our assessment,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has made a significant breakthrough in its fight against financial fraud, with the recent arrest of Apostle Theophilus Oloche Ebonyi, the General Overseer of Faith On The Rock Ministry International. The arrest comes in connection with a staggering scam involving fake grants purportedly from the Ford Foundation, amounting to a whopping N1.3 billion. Apostle Theophilus Oloche Ebonyi stands accused of orchestrating a sophisticated fraud scheme that targeted church members and other unsuspecting Nigerians. Operating under the guise of his NGO, Theobarth Global Foundation, Ebonyi allegedly advertised an intervention project, falsely claiming that the…
In a decisive move against cybercrime, Justice Chigozie Sergius Onah of the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has delivered a verdict, convicting and sentencing three individuals for their involvement in criminal impersonation, internet fraud, and possession of fraudulent documents. The convicted individuals, Abraham Itoro Sunday, Ezea Chidera Charles, and Udoh Christopher Gabriel, faced charges brought by the Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). They were arraigned on separate one-count charges related to cybercrimes and pleaded guilty to all charges. Abraham Itoro Sunday was accused of fraudulent impersonation on Facebook, posing as Brian…
The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned businessman Alexander Adeniran Babarinde, hailing from Oro-Ago in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, over alleged involvement in a contract scam, obtaining money under false pretences, and forgery. Babarinde, alongside his company, Ajays Engineering Limited, and one Suleiman Muhammed (currently at large), faced an eight-count charge before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin. The charges brought against the defendants revolve around allegations of obtaining money under false pretences, specifically by deceiving the complainant into believing that they were funding and executing…
In a significant development highlighting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) relentless pursuit of justice, a 56-year-old car dealer, Rasaq Abolaji Mumini, and Mrs Lawal Olawande Mariam have been arraigned before Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin of the Oyo State High Court for their alleged involvement in a N13.5 million property fraud. The Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC brought charges against Mumini and Mrs. Mariam for purportedly selling a forfeited property without due authorization and obtaining money under false pretences. The case, which unfolded on Monday, February 5, 2024, sheds light on the intricate web of deceit and unlawful transactions.…