The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has received a call to forge closer ties with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to fulfil its mandate and encourage public involvement in the fight against corruption in Nigeria. Mr Philip Arome Omachi, President of the Safety Ambassadors Network, made this appeal on July 5 during an advocacy visit to the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Commission. He emphasized that the EFCC requires the support of Nigerians to achieve long-lasting results. In response, ACE 1 Aisha Abubakar, the Acting Commander of the Kaduna Zonal Command, assured the visitors that the Commission is committed to its…
Author: Adewale Ade
Kabiru Mohammed Shanono was brought before Justice Aisha Mahmud of the Kano State High Court on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was charged with criminal misappropriation. According to the allegations, the defendant received two trucks of maize valued at N18,537,390 (Eighteen Million Five Hundred and Thirty-seven Thousand Three Hundred and Ninety Naira) from the complainant, with an agreement to make full payment upon the sale of the goods. However, he failed to fulfil the agreement and only remitted N13,400,000, diverting N5,137,930 for personal use. During the course of the investigation, the defendant…
BudgIT, a leading civic-tech organization advocating accountability, transparency, and effective service delivery in Nigeria, has launched its States Fiscal Transparency League (SFTL). The SFTL initiative builds on the recently concluded World Bank’s State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability (SFTAS) Program, which promoted fiscal transparency and facilitated accountability in public resource management. Recall that the World Bank developed SFTAS (States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability), a four-year program to support the government’s objective and encourage a common set of fiscal behaviour aimed at fiscal transparency, accountability, and sustainability. Based on this, BudgIT’s States Fiscal Transparency League initiative is designed to sustain…
On Monday, July 3, 2023, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) Maiduguri Zonal Command brought charges against Isyaku Ibrahim (also known as Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim) before Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri. The amended charge accuses Ibrahim of criminal misappropriation amounting to N12,000,000.00 (Twelve Million Naira). The charge reads: “That you, Ishiyaku Ibrahim (aka Alhaji Ishiyaku Ibrahim) sometime between 2014 and 2019 at Jajere Baga Road, Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court being entrusted with dominion over certain properties belonging to Muhammad Ishiyaku (now deceased) to wit: (1) three houses,…
The Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has successfully obtained convictions against 16 individuals involved in internet fraud. The convictions were secured before Justice F.I Riman of the Federal High Court in Akwa, Anambra State, on June 27, 2023. The charges against the defendants revolved around impersonation. The convicted individuals are Ukwuoma Mmasi Joseph, Godwin John Ifeanyi, Azubuike Chimaobi Kelvin, Chukwuma Peter, Mboji Henry Chima, Ngene Chukwuma Samuel, Michael Ogbodo, Michael Elijah, Okafor Ifeanyi Gabriel, Obiozor Franklin, Agah Chukwuebuka David, and Iloabuchi Damian Okafor. Additionally, Ifeanyi Jeff Ukwuoma, Chukwudalu Marvellous Kalu, Kulugh Mbatierev Simon, and…
RivExcel Health, a leading international medical tourism facilitator, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Neuro Spinal Hospital (NSH), a renowned healthcare institution with advanced services in comprehensive oncology, orthopaedics, neurology, neurosurgery, and spinal surgery. RivExcel in a statement circulated to media houses said, “This collaboration aims to expand and enhance the medical tourism services provided by RivExcel Health, further solidifying their commitment to offering high-quality medical solutions to patients from Africa seeking treatment in Dubai.” The press release noted, “As part of this partnership, RivExcel Health has independently vetted and selected NSH based on their exceptional reputation, expertise,…
In a recent post on Twitter, Executive Chair Elon Musk revealed that Twitter will impose restrictions on the number of tweets users can read in a day. The purpose of this measure is to discourage excessive data scraping and system manipulation, which can lead to undesirable consequences. Initially, verified accounts were allowed to read up to 6,000 posts per day. Additionally, unverified accounts had a limit of 600 posts per day, while new unverified accounts were limited to 300. However, Musk later shared an update stating that the temporary reading limits had been adjusted. Verified users would now be permitted…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called upon real estate operators in Lagos to prioritise due diligence on their customers as a means to combat the issues of money laundering and terrorist financing in the country. Michael T. Wetkas, the Lagos Zonal Commander of the EFCC, delivered this charge during a sensitization workshop on Anti-Money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Countering Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) organized by the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) at the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Command in Ikoyi on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Wetkas emphasized the necessity of registration with SCUML as…
On Tuesday, June 27, 2023, Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of the Edo State High Court in Benin City handed down a conviction and two-year prison sentence to Idoko Innocent, a hair stylist, for engaging in internet fraud. The journey of the convict towards imprisonment began with his apprehension by operatives from the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for his involvement in online fraud. He had allegedly posed as a white man named Don Smart to deceive unsuspecting victims, an act that violated section 384(1) of the Criminal Code Law of Edo State Law, 2022. During…
On Tuesday, June 27, 2023, Bulama Yahaya Jibrin (also known as Bulama Ayya) was presented before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Jibrin faced an amended charge for obtaining the sum of N5,400,000 (Five Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) through false pretences. According to the charge, Jibrin was accused of defrauding Ibrahim Musa Abdulhamid by claiming that the money was payment for the purchase of a plot of land measuring 100 by 100 and an unfinished house, knowing fully well that the…
Three individuals involved in internet fraud, namely Yusuf Nurudeen Mayowa, Alloy Wisdom Chibuzor, and Muheez Adeshina Ayomide, have been convicted and handed prison sentences by the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan. Yusuf faced charges related to aiding the commission of a felony, specifically obtaining property through false pretences, as stipulated in Sections 7(b) and 419 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000. Chibuzor and Ayomide, on the other hand, were charged with personation, a violation of Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000. During their appearance before…
On Friday, June 23, 2023, the Calabar Division of the Court of Appeal affirmed the conviction of Scales Olatunji, a notorious international fraudster who was found guilty of internet fraud and money laundering charges by a Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Justice Agatha Okeke, on June 27, 2022, pronounced Olatunji guilty of forty-five counts of internet fraud and money laundering, as charged by the Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was subsequently sentenced to 235 years imprisonment without the possibility of a fine. The prosecution of the convict stemmed from a…
The Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on June 26, 2023, secured the conviction of Adegbayi Tunde Yusuf. Adegbayi was prosecuted on one count of fraud before Justice A.Y. Shafa of the FCT High Court, Gwagwalada-Abuja. The charge reads, “that you, Adegbayi Tunde Yusuf sometime in 2023 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed the offence of cheating by personation when you pretended to be one Fillipo Marrazzo, an Italian citizen which you were not, created a fake Facebook account and benefitted the sum of $200 (Two Hundred United States Dollars) from…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Maiduguri Zonal Command on Monday, June 26, 2023, arraigned Rawa Gana Aisami and Sadiq Bulama Maina before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on separate charges bordering on criminal breach of trust and misappropriation. Aisami was docked on a two-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust to the tune of N1,450,000.00 (One Million, Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira). The charge reads: “That you, Rawa Gana Aisami, sometime in 2015 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly induced Goni Adam Mu’azu to deliver…
On June 26, 2023, Justice A.A. Isiaka of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna convicted and sentenced Ajayi AbdulHafeez Ezekiel (aka Kelvin Robert), manager to popular TikTok Musician, Shalipopi, and three others to two years imprisonment each for impersonation and internet fraud. The offences are contrary to and punishable under Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law l, 2017. The other convicts are Boaz Bondon Lally (aka Boaz Jefferson Herron), Shereef Idowu Usman (aka Marcus James) and Repang Isaac Kwasau (aka Luna Shop). They were arrested in a sting operation after intelligence had linked them to various fraudulent…
The trio of Adekunle Akinsinde Alabi, Bakare Taofeek Ajibola and Olawepo Segun Ayinde have been sentenced to two years imprisonment each. Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court convicted and sentenced the trio for currency counterfeiting to the tune of $269.000 USD in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday, June 26, 2023. One of the counts reads: “That you, Adekunle Akinsinde Alabi, Bakare Taofeek Ajibola and Olawepo Segun Ayinde, on the 20th January 2023 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, had in your possession the sum of $269.000 USD (Two Hundred and Sixty-Nine Thousand United States Dollars) worth…
Convener of Think Home Campaign, Chief Mrs Oby Ndukwe hails Governor Otti’s appointment of Rtd Justice Duroha-Igwe as Chairman of the Judicial Panel of Enquiry on Assets Recovery. In his administration’s bid to recover all Abia State Government Properties and Funds that were looted and are in the hands of retrogressive forces, the governor of Abia State, his Excellency Dr. Alex Otti has set up a Judicial Panel of Enquiry for the Recovery of Government Properties and Funds headed by Rtd Justice Florence Duroha-Igwe Reacting to Justice Duroha’s appointment, the Convener of “Think Home Campaign” Chief Obiaruko Christie Ndukwe said,…
Globally, subsidies, whether for food, transportation, energy or housing, are part of good governance. So, the issue is not subsidies but who benefits from them. In Nigeria, subsidies are primarily for the rich, by the rich and for the rich. I will highlight a few, how they are being manipulated and how huge sums of money can be recovered not just to subsidize fuel but also to provide funds for development. 1. Diversion of N40 billion from Federation Account A company, Continental Transfert Technique had been hired by the Ministry of Interior to collect the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and…
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has congratulated the newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr Kayode Egbetokun. Egbetokun’s appointment in an acting capacity, pending approval by the Senate, was announced on Monday, alongside those of other Service Chiefs, the National Security Adviser and the Comptroller General of Customs (CG). Egbetokun, an indigene of Ogun State, was a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), prior to his elevation to replace IGP Usman Alkali Baba. Prince Abiodun, in a statement from the Governor’s Office, said the elevations of Egbetokun and others were well deserved as…
Recent research has shown that 68% of high-revenue growth companies have embraced a hybrid model worldwide. With businesses enjoying remote or hybrid working, benefits including reduced maintenance costs, improved flexibility and extended talent pool, cyber security awareness has become more critical than ever. With this in mind, Indusface is intrigued to find out the most secure countries for businesses to allow their employees to work from, by creating an index score based on cybersecurity data including DDOS attacks, phishing sites, Malware hosting sites and compromised computers. Venky Sundar, Founder and President of Indusface also provided six tips for small businesses…