Senator Joshua Dariye’s new counsel, Kanu Agabi, SAN yesterday finally closed the case of the defence, bringing to a closure a defence that began on June 10, 2016. Agabi who was used by Dariye to replace G.S. Pwul, SAN, his former counsel who withdrew in March, told Justice Adebukola Banjoko, that the defence was ready to address the court. “My lord, I am pleased to inform your lordship that we are closing the case for the defence and will like to address you,” Agabi said. The prosecution, led by O.A. Atolagbe, raised no objections. “We have no objection to that,…
Author: Kunle Edun
The Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere presided over by Justice Adedayo Akintoye, last Friday, October 6, 2017 dismissed an application filed by Justice Hyeladzira Ajiya Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court, Bayelsa Division, seeking a stay of proceedings in a case of unlawful enrichment to the tune of $ 260,000 and N8.65million (about N81, 705,000) preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). At the last adjourned sitting, Nganjiwa was granted bail on self-recognition after he pleaded not guilty to the 14-count charge. Counsel to the accused, Chief Robert Clarke, SAN, had filed a motion…
A prosecution witness, Bilikisu Mohammed, in the ongoing trial of former Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, and three others have been convicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 revealed how funds accrued from the ill-fated recruitment exercise conducted by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on March 17, 2013 was spent by Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited, the company contracted to provide online enlistment and e-recruitment services by the Interior Ministry. The exercise was carried out in a negligent manner leading to the death of…
Prof. Benjamin Adefemi Ogunbodede, a former Director-General, Institute of Agriculture Research and Training (IART), Ibadan, Oyo State has been convicted through Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday October 3, 2017 by Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State. Ogunbodede was prosecuted alongside the trio of Zacheaus Tejumola, Adenose Clement and Jalekun Omotowoju on a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy, misappropriation and diversion of funds to the tune of N177 million. Trouble started for the convicts following a petition dated December 17, 2012 written by the Academic staff Union of the institute, alleging that…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday, October 3, 2017 vehemently objected to a motion to stall the ongoing trial of Muhammad Belgore, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, before Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos. Belgore, a governorship candidate during the 2011 Kwara State gubernatorial election, is standing trial alongside Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, a former Minister for National Planning, for allegedly receiving the sum of N450m on March 27, 2015 out of the $115,010,000 paid into A new generation bank by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke. At the resumed…
The Director at Vice-Minister Level of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Inspection Tours of the Communist Party of China (CPC), L.I. Xiaohong, has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its unrelenting effort to fight corruption to a standstill in Nigeria. Xiaohong, who led a delegation to the EFCC Headquarters, September 8, 2017 said, “We have heard a lot about your efforts in the fight against corruption and commend you for your doggedness in ensuring that you kick corruption out of Nigeria.” While expressing his delight to be involved with the anti-graft agency’s efforts, he…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has debunked the news trend which portrayed that the Anti-graft agency has lost the battle against corruption. This was contained in the release published on EFCC’s website which is re-published below: The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been drawn to an article by veteran columnist, Sonala Olumhense entitled, As EFCC Confesses the Sad Truth, which was syndicated in print and online media on Sunday, September 3, 2017. The piece dwelt extensively on two heads of strategic agencies in the Muhammadu Buhari administration – the chief of army staff,…
The Lagos zonal Office of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 7 National Diploma (ND) students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, Ogun State for alleged offences bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretences and possession of forged documents. The suspects who are Adesina Olalekan, Makinde Noheem, Toheeb Ogunowo, Somotun Olusola, Somotun Sodiq, Tajudeen Hafeez Bolaji and Kareem Olaseni, are studying various courses in the institution. They were arrested alongside Iyun Ifeoluwa, Odusanwo Ibrahim, Obanijesu Opeyemi Soneye, Azeez Olayinka, Babatunde Ajala, Ojejimi Ademola, Aderowunmi Ayomide and Oluokun Oluwaseun by operatives of the Commission within Abeokuta and…
Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke ‘s N7,644,700,000.00 properties have been permanently forfeited to the Federal Government by the Federal High Court in Lagos on August 28, 2017. The money which is reasonable suspected to be proceeds of illegal activities was traced by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to an account in a new generation bank. It is said to be among monies allegedly stashed in several local banks by the former minister. Today’s ruling by Justice Abdulaziz Anka followed an application by the EFCC seeking the final forfeiture of the money to the federal government. This…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) today reiterated its resolve to follow the rule of law, even as a group, “Concerned Nigerians”, led a protest to its headquarters, calling for repatriation of Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former minister of petroleum resources, alleged to have siphoned several billions of state funds, from the United Kingdom. Speaking on behalf of Ibrahim Magu, the acting EFCC Chairman, the Secretary to the Commission, Emmanuel Aremo, stressed that the anti-graft agency remained committed to the rule of law, as this was paramount in the fight against corruption. “Let us be patient and let us follow…
The Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) on August 24 secured the conviction of one Malam Umaru Kankani at the Gombe State High Court, Gombe for offences bordering on possession of forged document. He was prosecuted before Justice Sa’ad Muhammad on one count charge. . Kankani’s arrest and prosecution followed a petition alleging that sometime in June, 2016, he defrauded the complainant of N2.3million over a parcel of land situated at Federal Low-cost, Gombe, which ownership the convict fraudulently claimed. The convict was first arraigned on 17th August, 2017 on a 2-count charge. On resumption of hearing today, an amended one…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Zonal Head in Port Harcourt, Mr. Ishaq Salihu has called on Ijaw youths In Niger Delta region to be innovative and shun all acts of corruption. He made the call on Wednesday August 23 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when members of Ijaw Young Entrepreneurs paid him a courtesy visit. According to Salihu, with the coming of the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, corrupt practices are more difficult to perpetrate. ” There is no longer room for corruption. Nobody can steal money and end up with it abroad. The noose is…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on August 21, 2017 arraigned one Jacob Jerome Mona before Justice K.N Kunaza of the Bauchi State High Court, Bauchi on a three count charge of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and Issuance of dud cheque to the tune of Eight Million Naira. Jacob who is the Managing Director, Tari Oil and Gas Limited, sometime in 2016 received a total of 40,000 litres of diesel valued at Eight Million Naira for which he issued a post-dated cheque to one Abdullahi Mohammed to present on his behalf. The cheque was returned unpaid due to…
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on August 22, 2017 has ordered the temporary forfeiture of another set of properties and assets linked to a former petroleum resources minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke. Other respondents in the suit are Mr. Donald Chidi Amamgbo, Chapel Properties Limited, Blue Nile Estate Limited, Azinga Meadows limited and Vistapoint Property Development Limited. The order issued by Justice Abdulaziz Anka is based on an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, praying the court for the forfeiture of the assets which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity. The assets…
The Channels TV management has expressed willingness to train some staff of the Public Affairs Department (PAD) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in effective communication. This was disclosed on Friday, August 11, 2017 during a courtesy visit by the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, to the station’s Chairman, John Momoh, in Lagos. Speaking on the planned training, the Assistant General Manager, Operations, Kingsley Uranta, who received the delegation led by Magu, said it was important that spokespersons in the Commission be trained in the art of effective communication, particularly with the members of the community, who…
Rev. Dr. Dieudonne Massi Gams who is the Chairman of Cameroonian National Anti-corruption Commission (CONAC) has promised that he looks forward to partnering with the Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the area of training its staff in modern techniques of law enforcement, particularly as it relates to the fight against corruption. Speaking on Friday, August 11, 2017 while on a guided tour of facility at the EFCC Academy, Karu Abuja, Gams, expressed satisfaction at the state of the arts equipment of the Commission adding that “with a place in west Africa to boost training on anti-corruption and…
Following the painstaking investigations by operatives of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); N47.2 Billion and $487.5 Million in cash and properties have so far been traced to the former Minister of Petroleum Resources in the Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke. From time immemorial, precious metals – gold, silver and sparkling stones such as diamonds have delighted women. Relationships have been built and destroyed, wars fought for and reconciliations cemented with gold and precious stones. Not too far back in history, Liberia was the theatre of war over Blood Diamonds. Unlike Liberia however, the Nigerian nation is…
The Servicom Unit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun a three-day sensitization workshop for members of staff of the anti-graft agency. This is to re-energize its workforce for a renewed vigour to achieve its mandate of ridding Nigeria of corruption According to the Unit, Mohammed Bako, the “service delivery sensitization” workshop, which began on August 8, 2017, was approved by the acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, “as part of efforts to spur members of staff to achieve the mission and vision of the EFCC”. Giving insight into the establishment of the Unit, Bako stressed that the EFCC…
The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has called on Nigerian universities to review their curriculum to include a course focusing specifically on anti-corruption. He added that the agency is ready to sponsor research work at doctorate level for the next 10 years. “From January 2018 the EFCC will sponsor up to 20 Ph.D. researchers on any aspect of corruption every year, for the next 10 years,” he said, adding that, “we shall also support the publication of research papers relevant to teaching of anti-corruption courses.” Magu, who made this known during a visit to the National…
The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos presided over by a vacation judge, Justice Chuka Obiozor, on Monday, August 7, 2017, ordered the final forfeiture of a $37.5m (N11.75bn) property on Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos allegedly belonging to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke. The order came following an exparte application filed on July 17, 2017 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. At the last sitting on July 19, 2017, counsel to the EFCC, A.B.C. Ozioko, while moving the ex-parte application, had urged the court to order the forfeiture of the total sum of US$2,…