Justice U. J. Mogboh of the Enugu State High Court sitting in Agbani, Enugu State on June 19, 2025 convicted and sentenced one George Amechi Igwesi to seven years imprisonment for land fraud. Igwesi was arraigned alongside his company, Georgeann Enterprises Limited by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on October 19, 2023 on a two-count charge bordering on Stealing and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of Eleven Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N11, 400, 000. 00). The offence is contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and…
Author: Kunle Edun
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, June 27, 2025, secured the conviction and sentence of one Emmanuel Ayodele Areola before Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos. Areola was arraigned on a one-count charge of hawking Naira notes to the the tune of N1,061,500 (One Million and Sixty-one Thousand, Five Hundred Naira). The charge reads: “That you, EMMANUEL AYODELE AREOLA, on the 8th day of November, 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, engaged in hawking the total sum of N1,061,500 (One Million Sixty…
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede has called on youths in the Southeast to assist the Commission in ridding the region of all forms of corruption, economic and financial crimes, adding that without the youths, the future is not assured. He made this call in Enugu on Thursday, June 26, 2025 at the Police Community Relations Committee, PCRC Conference 2025. Speaking on the theme “The Police and The Youth, Bridging The Gap”, Olukoyede, who was represented by the Acting Zonal Director, Enugu Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, …
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, June 27, 2025, secured the conviction and sentence of 14 Chinese for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos. The suspects are: Su Zong Gen, Li Zhong Chang, Chen Gui Ping, Li Xiang Long, San Feng Zhang, Jia Yang, Jia Zhi Hao, Liu Chuang, Yu Hai Ging, Zhao Xiao Liang, Dai Li, Tao Kun, Mao Bu Yi and Zhao Zi Cheng. They are among the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, June 27, 2025, opposed an application filed by former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, seeking leave of court to travel abroad for medical treatment. The application was presented before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, during the resumed hearing of Bello’s alleged ₦80.2 billion money laundering trial. His counsel, J.B. Daudu, SAN, urged the court to consider the defendant’s health condition as paramount and to grant him permission to travel. Daudu informed the court that the application was brought pursuant to Section 173(2)(a) of the Administration…
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, charged reporting entities in Nigeria’s financial system to develop and operate solid, uncompromisable structures and systems capable of sustaining the gains of Nigeria’s delisting from the Financial Action Task Force, FATF’s, Grey List. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Preparatory Retreat for FATF Onsite Visit at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre and Suites, Abuja, Olukoyede emphasized that the absence of sustainable structures has been Nigeria’s undoing in the fight against money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing. “Our problem as a…
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede has charged students in the country to aspire to be anti-corruption ambassadors in their schools, homes and anywhere they find themselves. Olukoyede gave the charge on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 when the students of Nobel Heights Academy, Karu came on excursion at EFCC Academy, Karu, Abuja. The EFCC Chairman, who spoke through the Head, Media Unit of the Academy, Assistant Commander of EFCC, ACE1 Chidimma Amanambu reminded the students that “Youths are the future of the country. You are the ones that will make the country a better place. You are the ones to tell your parents, uncles and aunties to obey…
The First Prosecution Witness, PW1, Abubakar Kwaido, in the trial-within-trial of the former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman told Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja that the former minister voluntarily and personally wrote his confessional statements in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC in the presence of his lawyers and partners and appended his signature. Mamman is facing prosecution by the EFCC on a 12-count charge, bordering on conspiracy to commit money laundering in relation to the Mambilla Power Project to the tune of N33,804,830,503.73 (Thirty-three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, Seventy-three Kobo). The witness, an investigator with the EFCC, while being cross-examined by defence counsel, Femi Atteh, SAN disagreed with the position of the…
In furtherance of its sensitization campaign against corrupt practices, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, June 26, 2025, inaugurated its Integrity Club outreach programme in 57 public primary schools across the Lagos Mainland Local Government Education Authority, LGEA. Speaking during the inauguration held at the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB) office in Yaba, Lagos, the acting Zonal Director of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE1 Ahmed Ghali, charged the students to steer clear of any activity that may jeopardize their future. He…
Operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested thirty-four (34) suspected internet fraudsters. The alleged fraudsters were arrested in the early hours of Monday, June 23, 2025 at Iworoko and Ijado areas of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State following credible intelligence about their suspected fraudulent activities. Items recovered from them include eleven exotic cars, laptops, several mobile phones, incriminating documents among others. They will be charged to court when investigations are concluded. Media & Publicity June 26, 2025 Credit: EFCC Nigeria
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, June 26, 2025 presented its 10th and 11th witnesses in continuation of the trial of a former Minister of Aviation Hadi Abubakar Sirika, his daughter; Fatima Hadi Sirika, son-in-law law; Hamma Jalal Sule and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited who are standing trial for alleged misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N2b (Two Billion Naira). Prosecution Counsel , A.O. Atolagbe presented 10th Prosecution Witness, PW 10, a public servant working with the Nigerian Upstream (Petroleum) Regulatory Commission, NUPRC and informed the court that he was employed as a staff of the defunct…
A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, on Thursday, June 26, 2025, narrated before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, how a staggering ₦1,096,830,000 (One Billion, Ninety-Six Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira) was withdrawn in just three days from the Kogi State Government House’s Administration Account. The witness, Mashelia Arhyel Dada, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, Maitama Branch, testified as Prosecution Witness Four (PW4) under subpoena. He gave a detailed account of massive cash withdrawals allegedly carried out between 2016 and 2023, using…
Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Wednesday, adjourned the N110 billion fraud trial of the immediate past Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, and two others until July 8; October 8 and 9; and November 12 and 13. Bello is facing trial alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, on16-count charges bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N110.4 billion. The offence, according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is contrary to Sections 96 and 311 of the Penal Code Law Cap.89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963, and punishable under Section…
The First Prosecuting Witness, PW1, William Abimbola, in the matter of former Deputy Director,Highways, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan, alongside a surveyor, Sulaiman Abdulkadir Muhammed of the Department of Highways and Planning on Monday, June 23, 2025 told Justice Jude Onwuegbu zie of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court Apo, how funds made for the ministry`s contract was siphoned. The defendants were arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on alleged diversion and misappropriation of public funds amounting to N1,936,961,649.00 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Thirty-Six Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty-One Thousand, Six Hundred and Forty-Nine Naira ). The alleged offence is contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices…
Justice Amina Bello of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna State on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 convicted and sentenced one Ezeani Victor Udochukwu to jail for fraud. He was prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC a one-count charge, bordering on impersonation. The charge reads: ” That you, Ezeani Victor Udochukwu (a.k.a Ann Sandra)(m) between January and June, 2025 in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an offence, to wit: falsely presenting yourself as Ann Sandra on Facebook (an online social media application), which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section…
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has called on compliance officers in the nation’s banking sector to embrace technology-driven measures to combat financial crimes. He made this call in Lagos on Wednesday, June 25, 2024 at the 2025 Annual Stakeholders Conference of the Association of Chief Compliance Officers in the Banking Industry of Nigeria, ACCOBIN, themed “Beyond Compliance: AI, Risk, and the Future of Financial Integrity”. He stated that the traditional compliance measures were no longer sufficient in tackling financial crimes, especially in the face of the threats posed by Artificial Intelligence,…
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede has charged the Executive Director of South East Development Commission, SEDC, Mark Okoye to bring the South East region to limelight by prioritizing the development of the region through maximizing the potentials of its market economy while delivering on his mandate to the people. He gave this charge in Abuja recently while receiving the management of the SEDC at the corporate headquarters of the EFCC. The EFCC boss assured the SEDC’s delegation of the Commission`s support and collaboration to ensure that it succeeds, he…
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has urged youths in the country to be foot soldiers, brigade commanders and generals of the anti-corruption fight and not convicts of internet fraud. He gave the charge on Tuesday June 24, 2025, while addressing corps members of Batch A Stream II in their orientation camps across the country. In an orientation lecture, delivered on his behalf by Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC II, Otagada Sunday Ogar, in Nonwa Gbam, NYSC Camp, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State on the theme, “The Role of Corps Members in the Anti-Corruption Fight,” Olukoyede observed that the role of youths in the anti-corruption fight was crucial in nation-building adding that…
Justice Justice D. I. Dipeolu and Justice A. O. Faji of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos has convicted and sentenced six Chinese to one year imprisonment each for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud. The convicts are: JIA You (a.k.a A. You), Wang Zheng Feng (a.k.a.Feng), Liu San Hua, Chen Wen yuan, LIU BEIXING, and WEN ZONG XU (a.k.a.LI LONG). They are among the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024 in Lagos during a sting operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” conducted by EFCC operatives. They were subsequently arraigned on separate count charges…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, June 23, 2025, presented its first prosecution witness, PW1, Chidubem Ogbura, a banker with Union Bank Plc, in the trial of Friday Audu, Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu over an alleged N3.4bn, $2,562,203 cybercrime before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos. They are among the 792 –member syndicates of cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud arrested on December 19, 2024 in Lagos in a surprise operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” by EFCC operatives. The defendants, alongside a company, Genting International Co. Ltd., are standing trial on…