A vacation judge, Justice Chuka Obiozor, sitting at the Federal High Court, Lagos has ordered the temporary 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, on July 17, 2017 supported by an eight-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Abdulrasheed Bawa, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC . The former Minister was said to have purchased the 15-storey building, which comprises 18 flats and six penthouses, between 2011 and 2012 from the developers, YF Construction and Real…
Author: Kunle Edun
The acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu on July 19, 2017 inaugurated a committee to reposition the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU. The committee which has members drawn from law enforcement, financial and regulatory agencies is chaired by Dr. Abdullahi Shehu, a former Director General of the Inter-Governmental Action Against Money Laundering in West Africa, GIABA. Other members of the committee are Mr. Chidi Chukwuka from the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC); Mr. Bamanga Bello, Head of the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML); Hajia Jamila Yusuf of the Central Bank of Nigeria; …
The Consul General of the Germany Embassy in Lagos, Mr. Ingo Herbert has assured the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of continued support in combating corruption in Nigeria through regular training for its staff. Speaking today at the opening of a 10-day capacity building programme on Corruption Control, facilitated by the German Government through Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) also known as German Federal Criminal Police, Herbert pledged adequate support for EFCC in in achieving its mandate. ‘’I read newspapers every day; I see that EFCC has taken up the challenge and is doing a great job. The German government is supporting…
Ten years after his first arraignment, a former governor of Jigawa State, Saminu Turaki was on July 18, 2017 re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on a 32-count charge of fraud. Turaki, a two-term governor is facing multiple charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, stealing, money laundering and misappropriation of public funds. After his was arraigned in 2007, he went into hiding and was subsequently declared wanted by the EFCC, for failing to present himself for trial. A warrant directing the Inspector General of Police or…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned one Mallam Umaru Kankani before Justice Sa’ad Muhammad of the Gombe State High Court on a two-count charge bordering on forgery and obtaining by false pretence. Kankani’s journey to the dock followed a petition by one Dr. Salisu Ahmed of Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe alleging that sometimes in June, 2016, he was defrauded by the accused to the tune N2.3million over a parcel of land situated at Federal Low-cost, Gombe, which ownership the accused claimed was his, but was later discovered to be a scam. Investigation by operatives of the EFCC revealed…
Hearing on the N359million fraud trial of a former provost of the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology, FSMLT, Dr. Nkereuwem Sunday Etukudo, suffered another setback on July 17, 2017 as the absence of the trial judge, Justice Y. G. Dakwak of the Plateau State High Court, Jos, who was said to be away for another official engagement, forced an adjournment. On the last adjourned date, Friday June 2, 2017, the Registrar who cited “scheduling conflicts” as reason for the further adjournment, today informed parties that, “The judge had travelled for a conference in the company of the Chief Judge.”…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned the general public to be wary of the activities of the duo of INNOCENT ONYEKACHI ORITSETIMEYIN AKPOTEDJA ADJENUHGURE and ADEOLA SAM OPEYEMI who have been misleading Nigerians with false information about the activities of the Commission. Barely six hours after the Supreme Court judgment in the case of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where it ruled in favour of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s faction, Adjenuhgure posted in his Facebook Timeline that $42 million was found in Senator Makarfi’s farm by the EFCC “less than 2 hours after the Supreme Court judgment”.…
The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal today, Friday, July 14, 2017 upheld the February 9, 2016 judgment of Justice I.N Buba of the Federal High Court Lagos, which convicted and sentenced Mr. Ngene Linus Chibuike to two years imprisonment and ordered the forfeiture of the undeclared sum of $2,506,998 (Two Million, Five Hundred and Six Thousand, Nine hundred and Ninety Eight United States Dollars) to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The convict was arrested on October 8, 2015 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport during an outbound clearance for a journey to China en-route Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with an…
The Federal Capital Territory High Court presided over by Justice Halilu Yusuf and sitting in Maitama, Abuja on Thursday, July 13, 2017 granted bail to the former governor of Jigawa State, Ibrahim Saminu Turaki. The former governor was re-arraigned before Justice Sabi’u Yahuza at the Federal High Court, Dutse, Jigawa State on a 32-count charge of misappropriating N36 billion while in office, after successfully challenging the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court, where he was first arraigned before Justice Binta Murtala Nyako. Since his re-arraignment, Turaki refused to attend trial – a situation which resulted in the Commission declaring him…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 13th July, 2017 took into custody, one Rabiu Yusuf, a Bureau de Change operator who allegedly duped a Chinese National to the tune of $2,452,941.50 (Two Million, Four Hundred and Fifty Two Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty One Thousand Dollars). The suspect allegedly collected the sum of N2,879,190,900 from the complainant, Xing Hui Yao, for the purchase of its dollar equivalent which amount to $13,677,866.50, (Thirteen Million, Six Hundred Seventy Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred Sixty Six Dollars, Fifty Cents). The complainant further alleged that the suspect paid her only $11,224,925.50 (Eleven Million, …
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on July 13, 2017 arraigned Sahel Technical Services Limited and one Umar Faruk, before Justice M. T. Aliyu of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna on a 2-count charge of criminal breach of trust and diversion of public funds to the tune of N120,700,000.00. Umar who is director of Sahel Technical Services Ltd, had in March 2014 secured a contract from the Kaduna State Ministry of Local Government to supply 115 units of Hand Tillers to all the 23 Local Government Areas of the state. He was paid the sum of N 120,700,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday, July 13, 2017 secured the arraignment of the administrative secretary of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Gombe State, Tarkumbur G Gregory and two retired staff of the electoral body, Yunusa Ali Biri and Bunu Mulima, before Justice Abubakar Jauro of the Gombe State High Court on three count charge bordering on alleged receipt of gratification to the tune of N138million to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential elections. The offence was committed between March and May, 2015, in contravention of Section 9 (1) (2) of the Corrupt Practices and…
The Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo presided over by Justice O. Adeniyi has convicted and sentenced one Nwokobia Chris to two years imprisonment on the two-count charge of fraud preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Nwokobia was prosecuted along with Biotec Laboratory Products Limited, a company he allegedly used in perpetrating the fraud. One of the counts reads: “That you, Nwokobia Chris “M” and Biotec Laboratory products Ltd, on or about the 5th day of July, 2013, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, did fraudulently make…
Concerned pensioners in Edo State under the aegis of Most Aggrieved Pensioners on July 12,2017 led a peaceful protest to the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the non payment of their pension entitlements by the Edo State government . The group carried placards with various inscriptions: “Mr. Governor, Fulfil your 2017 May Day Promises to Edo State Pensioners without Further Delay.” “Care for Human Life and Happiness Is Good Governance”, among others. The leader of the group, Barrister G.O.Osemwenkha said that they have been turned into beggers and destitutes with the non payment of their…
Lagos State High Court in Igbosere, presided by Justice A.M Nicol-Clay on 11th July, 2017 adjourned ruling on the bail application of an official of Total Nigeria Plc, Ejere Kelvin Chris and one Edoma Omagha, an account officer with International Fulfillment Services Ltd till July 17. The two defendants are facing a ten count charge bordering on oil fraud to the tune of N7.3 brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Justice Nicol-Clay had earlier fixed ruling on the bail application for today July 11, 2017. When the matter was mentioned, counsel to 1st and 2nd accused…
The ongoing trial of a former Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi, continued today before Justice Raliat Adebiyi of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, with a prosecution witness, Orji Chukwuma, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, further revealing how the accused conspired to divert various sums of money from the agency’s accounts to their personal use. Akpobolokemi is standing trial alongside Captain Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan, Vincent Udoye, Captain Sahib Olopoenia and a company, Gama Marine Nigeria Limited on a 13-count charge bordering on stealing to the…
The Federal High Court, Abuja presided over by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba has adjourned trial of Jide Omokore, embattled chairman of Atlantic Energy Brass Development and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept to October 5, 2017 after rejecting a document which defense counsel sought to tender. Omokore is standing trial along with Victor Briggs, a former Managing Director, National Petroleum Development Company; Abiye Membere, a former Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production at the NNPC, and David Mbanefo, a former Manager, Planning and Commercial at NNPC, for a $1.6billion fraud. At the resumed sitting on July 10, 2017, counsel to Mbanefo, Afan…
Justice I.E Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, on Monday convicted and sentenced two oil bunkerers: Tony Ochonogo and Efe Alex to 5years imprisonment each without an option of fine. The convicts were brought before the court on a four-count charge, bordering on conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum products without a license, levelled against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The court found them guilty , convicted and sentenced them accordingly. Ochonogo was found guilty on counts 1, 2, 3 and 4 while Alex was convicted on counts 1 and…
Justice B.O. Quadri of the Federal High Court, Abuja on July 7, 2017 dismissed an application by a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, seeking that his case file be returned to Justice Adeniyi Ademola, before whom he was earlier standing trial. The Chief Judge, CJ of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta had re-assigned the case to Justice Quadri, shortly after Justice Ademola’s trial along with his wife and Joe Agi, SAN, commenced at a Federal Capital Territory High Court, for offences bordering on money laundering charges. They were however, discharged April 5, 2017 and his suspension…
Justice B.O. Quadri of the Federal High Court, Abuja on July 7, 2017 dismissed an application by a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, seeking that his case file be returned to Justice Adeniyi Ademola, before whom he was earlier standing trial. The Chief Judge, CJ of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta had re-assigned the case to Justice Quadri, shortly after Justice Ademola’s trial along with his wife and Joe Agi, SAN, commenced at a Federal Capital Territory High Court, for offences bordering on money laundering charges. They were however, discharged April 5, 2017 and his suspension…