Justice Bayo Taiwo of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan has convicted and sentenced one Olayiwola Oguntade to prison for fraud. Oguntade, a former staff member of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) was arraigned by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on October 13, 2020 on a three-count amended charge, bordering on forgery, advance fee fraud and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N10, 000, 000 (Ten Million Naira). Count one of his reads: “That you, Olayiwola Oguntade sometimes in 2010 at Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N10, 000, 000.00K…
Author: Kunle Edun
Justices Aisha Kumaliya and Amina Ibrahim of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, convicted and sentenced two persons to three years imprisonment each for fraud. The convicts are; Anaryu Akindaraju and Umar Alhaji Bukar who were prosecuted by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on one-count separate charges bordering on criminal misappropriation and cheating. Akindaraju was convicted by Justice Kumaliya while Bukar was jailed by Justice Ibrahim. The charge against Akindaraju reads: “That you, Anaryu Akindaraju, sometime in March, 2022 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction…
Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has adjourned till March 13, 2025 further hearing in the trial of Ismaila Mustapha for an offence bordering on alleged money laundering. The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had on January 12, 2022 arraigned Mompha alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, laundering of funds obtained through unlawful activity, failure to disclose assets and property, possession of documents containing false pretences and…
The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, arraigned 11 Chinese and a company, Genting International Co. Ltd., before Justice C.J. Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos. The defendants are: Liu Ke Fan, Huang Hai Tao, Zhang Kian Feng, Wua Wang and Xiao Xin. Others are: Wang Hong Lin, Wu Yong An (a.k.a Zenga Niu), Chen Yuan (a.k.a Xiao Doa), Chen Dong Dong (a.k.a Cun Zhao) Weng Mao Rong, (a.k.a A Xiang and Wang) and Xiong Wei (a.k.a Xiao Bai). They are members of the syndicate of…
Justice A.O.Owoeye of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the final forfeiture of the sums of N1,168,602,877.44,( One Billion, One Hundred and Sixty Eight Thousand, Six Hundred and Two, Eight Hundred and Seventy Seven Naira, Forty Four kobo) $392,818.01( Three Hundred and Ninety Two Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighteen United States Dollars, One Cent) and £35,070( Thirty Five Thousand, Seventy Pound Sterling) recovered from one Muiz Tijani Adeyinka, a former employee of First Bank of Nigeria, FBN, to the Federal Government of Nigeria, FGN. The judge gave the order following a motion on notice for the…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, considers it compelling to correct false narratives about the testimony of its 10th witness in the trial of a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele. In the false narrative, prosecution witness, Salawu Gana, was reported as justifying the vehicle procurement contracts awarded during Emefiele’s tenure contrary to the case of alleged contract irregularities alleged in the charges against him Gana was said to have testified that procurement processes in awarding the contracts adhered strictly to legal and regulatory guidelines. This is far from the truth. Rather, the witness on…
Justice A. Owoeye of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday, February 3, 2025, ordered the interim forfeiture of digital wallet assets valued at $222,729.86 to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The digital wallet assets were recovered from an alleved syndicate of 792 cryptocurrency investment and romance fraudsters who were arrested on December 10, 2024 by operatives of the the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, during a surprise operation at 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. The Judge gave the order, following an ex parte application filed and moved by the EFCC through its lawyer,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, February 3, 2024 re-arraigned a former Minister of Power and Steel Development, Olu Agunloye on seven- count amended charges bordering on fraudulent award of contract and official corruption before Justice J.O Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Apo, Abuja. The re-arraignment was sequel to the amendment of the earlier charges dated January 10, 2024 Count one read “That you, Olu Agunloye, whilst being the Minister of Power and Steel on or about the 22nd of May, 2003 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court awarded a contract titled “CONSTRUCTION OF 3,960MW MÅMBILLÅ HYDROELECTRIC POWER STATION ON BUILD, OPERATE AND TRANSFER BASIS” to…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, have organized a two-day empowerment Workshop for fifty law enforcement officers drawn from various agencies. The Workshop, themed “Proactive Detection of Non/False Currency Declaration and Application of Appropriate Sanctions” was held on Tuesday and Wednesday, 28 – 29 January, 2025 at the EFCC Academy, Karu, Abuja. The Executive Chairman, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede while addressing participants said the workshop was a very important step by the government to exit the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force,…
The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, February 3, 2025, arraigned 29 Chinese, 10 Filipinos, one Malaysian, one Indonesian and one Pakistani before separate Federal High Courts sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos. They were arraigned alongside a company, Genting International Co. Ltd., before Justices Ayokunle Faji ; D.I. Dipeolu; Alexander Owoeye and C.J. Aneke, respectively. The suspects are members of the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024, in Lagos during a surprise operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” by operatives of the EFCC. They were arraigned on separate…
The Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, MB Lugga Global Travels and Tours Limited, Mustapha Mohammed before Justice TG.Ringim of the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe, Gombe State on three -count charges bordering on intent to defraud and obtaining by false pretences to the tune of N144, 162, 500( One Hundred and Forty- Four Million One Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand and Five Hundred Naira) Count one of the charges reads: “That you, Mustapha Mohammed , male adult, while being the Chief Executive Officer of MB Lugga…
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has called for collaboration between the EFCC and Student Union leaders of institutions of higher learning across the country in the fight against economic and financial crimes, as a potent means of driving public awareness and commitment to anti-corruption cause.He made this call in Benin City, Edo State Friday, on Friday, January 31, 2025 in an interactive session with Student Union Executives of the University of Benin who paid a courtesy visit to the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Commission. Olukoyede, who spoke through the Acting Zonal…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, February 3, 2025, arraigned a former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance scheme, NHIS, Professor Usman Yusuf before Justice Chinyere E. Nwecheonwu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Kuchiako Kuje. Usman was arraigned on a five count-charge bordering on embezzlement, conferring undue advantage, and fraud to the tune of N90, 439,178.00( Ninety Million, Four Hundred and Thirty Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Seventy Eight Naira only) Count one reads: “That you, Prof Ismab Yusuf sometime between 2016 and July 2017, whilst being Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance…
The Nigeria Internet Registration Association, (NIRA) has resolved to strengthen its existing collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC towards enhancing the country’s cyber security. The resolution was reached on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 when the President of NIRA, Akinsanya Adesola led a staff delegation on a courtesy visit to EFCC’s Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede at the Commission’s corporate headquarters, Abuja. “We already have an existing collaboration which was signed in March 2023. The MoU was in the area of capacity building and our first project was in July 2023 with the EFCC Academy. We are looking at doing this annually, especially in cyber security and we believe this will go a long way in adding value to what you do,” he said. Olukoyede in his response, expressed delight with the proposal, noting that…
The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, January 31, 2025, arraigned 11 Chinese, one Filipino and a company, Genting International Co. Ltd, before Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos. The defendants are: Wang Zheng Ming, Li Yin Hui, Xian Hong Will, Zhang Xiao Lei, Long Zhao Ming, Guo Xiao Fei, Yang Sheng, Wang Zheng Feng, Chen Wenyuan, Liu San Hua, Luo Jia You and Rheign Dela Vega. They are members of the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024…
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has stated that Nigeria’s under-development would be a thing of the past if everyone begins to see corruption as a common enemy and tackle it. He stated this on Friday, January 31, 2025 when officials of the Centre for Crisis Communication, CCC, led by the Director of its Board of Trustees, BoT, Major General Chris Olukolade (retd) paid him a courtesy visit at the EFCC corporate headquarters, Abuja. According to Olukoyode, “One of the major problems in Nigeria which when tackled, will make under-development a thing of the past, is corruption and…
The trial of former Acting Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku began on Friday, January 31, 2025 before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja with witnesses narrating how the defendant as former Director, Finance and Account in the Federal Ministry of Defence opened multiple bank accounts through which he allegedly diverted the ministry’s funds. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Nwabuoku on a nine-count amended charge, bordering on money laundering to the tune of N868, 465,000 (Eight Hundred and Sixty-eight Million, Four Hundred and Sixty-five Thousand Naira). At Friday’s proceedings, …
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has called on corps members and youths across the country to always treat corruption as an enemy to be destroyed because it is at the root of all developmental challenges confronting the nation. He gave the charge in Abuja on Thursday, January 30, 2025 while addressing corps members of Batch C Stream 11, at the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, orientation camp, Kubwa, Abuja. According to him, “every challenge around us today can be traced to the consequences of corruption, with the rising troubles of unemployment,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, notes with concern the reported unsavoury experiences of some Nigerians who participated in the just concluded public auction of forfeited vehicles conducted by accredited auctioneers on behalf of the Commission. Among the complaints received by the Commission were the inability of some citizens to access the websites of the auctioneers, being shut out from the platforms after submitting bids and outrageous bid prices, among others. Relevant Departments of the Commission monitored the exercise and can confirm that there were glitches. This observation was communicated to the auctioneers for remedial action. The Commission could,…
Justice Chinyere E. Nwecheonwu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Kuchiako, Kuje, on Thursday, January 30, 2025 rescheduled to February 3, 2025 the arraignment of Professor Usman Yusuf, former Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC had on Wednesday, January 29, 2024 arrested Yusuf and brought before the court on Thursday, January 30, 2025 for arraignment on allegations of fraud. The arraignment was, however, moved to Monday to allow for amendment of the charges. Though defence counsel, Isah Dokto Haruna, who held brief for the lead defence counsel, O.I.Habeeb, SAN made an application for bail, it was turned down by the court on account of the…