The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned a husband and wife, Baba Sule Abubakar Sadiq and Hafsat Kabir Lawal, alongside two others, Abdullahi Bala and Ladani Akindele, before Justice Amina Bello of the Kaduna State High Court for obtaining money by false pretence, money laundering and stealing to the tune of N197,750,000 (One Hundred and Ninety Seven Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira. They were arraigned on six-count charges on Monday, March 9, 2025. Specifically, the defendants allegedly colluded among themselves and defrauded their victims through different guises, including impersonating the wife of the Governor of Katsina…
Author: Kunle Edun
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede has called on staff of the Commission to continue on the paths of professionalism, integrity and courage in order to keep faith with the fight against economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption. . He made the call in Uyo, Akwa –Ibom State on Wednesday March 12, 2025, while on a working visit to the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Commission. According to him, the anti-graft works of the EFCC required great sacrifice and staff of the Commission should be ready at all times…
The trial of the immediate past Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his Finance Commissioner, Ademola Banu, over alleged misappropriation of N5.78 billion public funds continued on Wednesday, March 11, 2024, before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin. At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the EFCC presented its second witness, PW 2, Dr. Musa Oladimeji Dasuki, a retired Permanent Secretary at the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), who served between 2011 and 2020. Led in evidence by EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Dasuki testified that the Kwara State Government, under…
Justices Ladiran Akintola, O.S. Adeyemi, K.B. Olawoyin, G.A. Sunmonu of the Oyo State High Court and Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan. Oyo State, have convicted and sentenced thirty-two persons to prison for fraud. They were prosecuted by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on separate one-count charges bordering on impersonation, internet-related offences. The convicts are: Kolade Olayinka Akinlosotu, Adetoro Kolawole Jelili, Olatunji Opeyemi Matthew, Ehifowoju Kehinde Emmanuel, Basit Akorede Mustapha, Banjoko Olamide Oriyomi, Badmus Quazeem Damilola, Ikumapayi Olalekan Babajide, Muili Olamilekan Sodiq, Odususi Yemi Michael, Ashiru Adebola Ibrahim, Ayomide Olamide Ogidan, Fatusin Michael…
The First Prosecution Witness, PW1 in the ongoing trial of Kore Holdings Limited, , Temitope Erinomo, on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, told Justice J. O. Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court Abuja, that the company didn’t report its activities to the appropriate authority in accordance with the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Kore Holdings Limited on a four -count amended charge alongside Muhammed Kuchazi (now deceased), for failing to comply with the requirements to report its activities to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and failing to…
In a landmark ruling on Monday, March 10, 2025, the Supreme Court of Nigeria dismissed appeals filed by the Attorney General of Rivers State and the Speaker of the State’s House of Assembly against the leave granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by the Court of Appeal to contest an order of perpetual injunction of Federal High Court, Port Harcourt that barred the Commission from investigating Dr. Peter Odili’s tenure as governor of the state. The dismissal by a five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice John Okoro effectively cleared the pathway for the Commission to investigate Dr. Odili’s eight year rule of the oil-rich state and brought to an end EFCC’s long-standing legal battle to probe the administration. The legal…
The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Richard M. Mills Jr. has reaffirmed that the robust working relationship between the United States government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, would continue in order to achieve significant success in the fight against economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption. He stated this in Abuja on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 when he led a delegation of the US Mission in Nigeria on a familiarization visit to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede at the Commission’s corporate headquarters. “I’m very grateful for the relationship we have…
In line with its commitment to sanitising the financial space of the nation and offer the investing public adequate and reliable information on the activities of illegal ponzi scheme operators across the country, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, hereby alerts Nigerians on the operations of 58 companies posturing as investing entities and defrauding innocent Nigerians of their hard-earned money. The companies are neither registered with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, nor the Security Exchange Commission, SEC. The two regulators, in separate correspondences with the EFCC, denied that they are registered with them. The Commission has charged…
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Directorate have arrested 28 suspected ponzi scheme operators in Minna, Niger State. The suspects are: Nofisat Opeyemi, Shukurat Muritala, Odunayo Sanni, Mayowa Oyekola, Aishat Olaitan, Edward Hannah, Abioye Fathiah, Joseph Omowunmi, Kareem Ahmed, Arikeusola Afeez, Adiamo Mutholib, Abass Ibrahim, Wasiu Taofeek, Adeniji Damilare, Nurudeen Akinola and Mubarak Yekeen. Others are: Adedeji Ayobami, Alani Samuel, Ogundele Yunus, Adekunle Ibrahim, Adewale Azeez, Rufai Faruk, Fawaz Yekeen, Olade Abdullahi, Ahmed Murtala, Adisa Habeebllahi Akorede, Adigun Timilehin and Abdulfatai Ridwannullah. Their arrest followed credible intelligence that linked them to fraudulent investment activities with a company, Q-Net Ltd, which operates from a three bedroom…
Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Ilorin on Friday, March 7, 2025 convicted and sentenced two Chinese, Yang Chao and Wu Shan Chuan to prison for illegal mining of solid minerals in Kwara State. They were convicted along with their company, Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited. They were prosecuted on a one-count charge, bordering on dealing with illegal solid minerals mining. The charge reads: “That you, Yang Chao, Wu Shan Chuan, and Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited, sometime in March 2024, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, engaged in dealing with minerals without lawful authority, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 134(b) of the…
Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan has convicted and sentenced two siblings, Amos Remilekun Ilesanmi and Olanrewaju Samuel Ilesanmi alongside Ugbeh Emmanuel Ukali for naira notes mutilation. The Ilesanmi brothers were ex-convicts, sentenced to three months community service each on October 2, 2024 for internet fraud, impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence by Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, while Ukali is presently being prosecuted a one-count charge of internet fraud before Justice Akintola. The three were arraigned by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on February 25, 2025 on a joint one-count charge that bordered on naira mutilation.…
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Directorate on Saturday March 8, 2025 arrested 31 suspected illegal miners in Jos, Plateau State capital. They were arrested in the premises of Jiasheng Nigeria Limited, located at Dura Rayfield, Mangu Road, Jos following credible intelligence linking the company to illegal mining activities in the state. The arrested included four Chinese and 27 Nigerians, part of whom were suppliers in possession of unprocessed solid minerals, suspected to have been illegally mined. They are: Liang Qinyong,Wang Huajie, Zhong Jiajing, Long Kechong, Akilu Akonimi, Umar Mohammed, Aaron Davo, Auwal Abdullahi, Haruna Umar, Prosper Goddey, Alex Long, Mathew Onmaza, Oupe Anzaku, Samson Luka, John Nwang…
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has tasked students across the country to be loud in their opposition to any form of internet fraud, stressing that their voices matter in tackling the menace He made the appeal on Monday, March 10, 2025, during a sensitization and re-engagement visit to Doveland International School, Abuja. The event, held at the school’s assembly hall, was aimed at enlightening students about the dangers of internet fraud and corruption. Representing the Chairman at the event, Head of the Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of…
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede has charged students across the country to imbibe the virtues of transparency, accountability and integrity and shun all forms of corruption, economic and financial crimes. He gave the charge in Abuja on Thursday, March 7, 2025 when students of Redeemer Private Secondary School visited the EFCC’s corporate headquarters on a study tour. Addressing the students, the EFCC’s boss, who was represented by the Head, Creative Communications Unit of the Public Affairs Department, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE I Chris Oluka, stressed the need for transparency,…
The Executive Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede has charged Designated Non Financial Business and Professions, DNFBPs to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 in the discharge of their duties.He gave the charge at one-day Anti-money Laundering sensitization workshop for DNFBPs, organised on Thursday March 6, 2025 in Benin City by the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML with the theme: “From Awareness to Action: Mobilising DNFBPs for Compliance.” The EFCC boss who spoke through the Acting Zonal Director, ACE I Effa Okim stated that one of the aims of the workshop was to broaden…
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Friday, March 7, 2025 heard further testimony from prosecution witness Nicholas Ojehomon, an internal auditor at the American International School Abuja, AISA, in the ongoing trial of a former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello. Ojehomon testified that all payments made for school fees at AISA, including those from international companies, were exclusively for the benefit of Bello’s children. Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Ojehomon detailed a series of payments, referencing several exhibits that documented the transactions. He confirmed that multiple payments were made in favour…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kano Zonal Directorate, has secured the conviction of one Hauwa Abdullahi Ibrahim for smuggling an undeclared sum of $1,154,900 (One Million, One Hundred and Fifty-Four Thousand, Nine Hundred United States Dollars) and SDR135,900 Saudi Riyals (One Hundred and Thirty-Five Thousand, Nine Hundred Saudi Riyals) from Saudi Arabia into Nigeria. She was jailed after pleading “guilty” to a two-count charge of money laundering before Justice S. M Shuaibu of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano. Ibrahim was arrested by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport for attempting…
The Third Prosecution Witness, PW3, Nicholas Ojehomon in the trial of a former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, on Thursday, March 6, 2026, narrated before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, how the defendant paid his children’s school fees in dollars and in advance until their graduation. The witness, an internal auditor in the American International School, Abuja , AISA, who stated that though he didn’t know Yahaya Bello in person, said he was aware that he was a parent to children enrolled in the school. “I did not know the defendant personally, but I am aware that he is a parent of children enrolled in…
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede has called for positive peer review and accountability among students across the country in order to promote positive change and bolster the fight against economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption. Olukoyede made the call in Abuja recently during an appraisal visit to members of the Integrity Club at Glisten International Academy. Deputy Director and Spokesperson of the Commission, Dele Oyewale, who spoke for the EFCC’s boss, while addressing the Club members, urged the students to keep one another in check as fostering a culture…
The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured the conviction and sentence of 21 internet fraudsters before Justices A.N. Erhabor and W. I. Aziegbemhin of Edo State High Courts, sitting in Benin City.The convicts are: Eimuen Nathaniel, Ighagbon Anderson Andy, Precious Aigbokhai, Divine Ebosetale Okhitie, Ekpekurede Valour, Akuson Sunday, Oshoikpor Joshua, Onumegu Chukwuebuka Emmanuel, Sylvester Oseokoedion, Osifor Kenneth, Abraham Eromosele, Aliu Sanusi Aliu. Others are: Donald Emuen, Oseghale Paris, Amavu Paul, Godsent Omokhoa, Omere Osabvohien Love, Stephen Edetalen Obhanoghor, Segun Nelson Owoyele, Emmanuel Essence and Oriarewoh Divine EronmonseleThey were prosecuted on a separate one-count charge bordering on obtaining…