The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, has again charged Nigerian youths to be disciplined and shun all acts of corruption.Lamorde made the appeal recently during the inauguration of EFCC Integrity Club at Police Secondary School, Ita-Ogbolu, Akure, Ondo State .The Chairman who was represented by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Osita Nwajah, said that the Integrity Club was envisioned by the Commission to instil core values of honesty, fairness, responsibility and respect for self, others and citizenship in the minds of young people.According to him the youth needed to imbibe this core values in order to…
Author: Kunle Edun
Justice O. A. Adeniyi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Friday May 16, 2014 convicted and sentenced one Ebiloma Abdullahi to 12 years imprisonment for forgery and obtaining money by false pretence.The convict was arraigned in November 2009 on a 7-count charge of impersonation, forgery and obtaining money by false pretence. He paraded himself as a student of Federal University of Technology, Minna was said to have assumed the position of the National President of the National Association of Nigeria Student, NANS, and in such capacity paid courtesy visits to Alhaji Isa Yuguda, governor of…
An empty fishing Trawler (FT Opeyemi), operating without a fishing license, belonging to Oshine Resources Venture, with seven crew members on board, was on Friday, May 16, 2014 handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by the Nigeria Navy Shipyard, Beecroft, in Lagos. Officers of the Nigeria Navy on patrol arrested the Trawler in March 27, 2014. Captain J.N Mamman, Commanding Officer, NNS Beecroft and Lieutenant B.E Enock, Acting Base Operation Officer, NNS Beecroft, handed over the ship and the crew to the EFCC.The seven crew members are: Captain Momodu Ibrahim; Engr. Togbosi Christian; Idowu Tuesday; Benjamin…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC is to arraign the Chief Executive Officer of Globtec Resources Limited, Joseph Idoko, and three others for offences bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence. The other suspects are Mahmud A. Mohammed, Chief Executive, Al-Maqarinaz International Limited, Ikechukwu Nkwoha-Philip and Ibrahim Ali, Chief Executive, Dano Interglobal Marine Services Limited.The suspects were picked up by operatives of the Commission following a complaint by the Chief Executive of Emex Oil Ndawta Ghana Limited, Ismaila Abdulgafar. The complainant alleged that, Idoko and his cohorts, who parade themselves as oil merchants, conspired and fraudulently collected…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC on Thursday May 15, 2014 arraigned Muhammad Ibrahim Sodangi before Justice Darius Haet Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court on a 13-count charge bordering on personation and stealing. Sodangi is alleged to have falsely pretended to be a retired officer/civil servant in the Kaduna State Civil Service and in such assumed character enlisted his name in the pension payroll of Kaduna State Civil Service where he defrauded the state of N66 million (sixty six million naira).The Kaduna State Government had engaged Sodangi as a consultant to undertake the computerization of the Kaduna…
A former Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Anambra State, Prince Okay Aroh and a former banker with United Bank for Africa, Abimbola Oluwaniyi, were on Thursday, May 15, 2014 arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja on a 6- count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, forgery and uttering to the tune of N265million (Two Hundred and Sixty Five Million Naira ). The former Commissioner and his accomplice ran into trouble, when a petitioner wrote to the EFCC alleging that, in 2009, he deposited N265, 000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Sixty Five Million Naira) in a fixed deposit…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today May 15, 2014 arraigned one Madeline Eyimofe alongside her company, Demoris Environmental Services Limited before Justice R.I. Ahiakwo of the State High Court on one count charge bordering on issuance of a dud cheque.Madeline allegedly issued an Oceanic Bank Cheque No 08816714 for the sum of Six million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N6, 500,000.00) to one Sylvester Igwegbe. The cheque was allegedly returned for lack of sufficient fund when it was presented for payment. She however pleaded not guilty to the charge.In view of her plea, prosecuting counsel, U.R Ewoh asked the…
Justice Adebisi Akinlade of a Lagos State High Court, sitting in Igbosere on Thursday, May 15, 2014 issued a bench warrant on Oluwaseun Ogunbambo, who is standing trial in a case of forgery and obtaining N610million by false pretence.Counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court about the continued absence of Ogunbambo from court in three previous sessions. He reminded the court that Ogunbambo’s counsel, at the last court session, promised to bring him to court but failed to fulfil his promise. He prayed the court to issue a bench warrant on him.However, Ogunbambo’s counsel, Mobolaji Akintunde prayed the…
Six years after Justice Marcel Awokulehin sensationally struck out all 170-count charge of money laundering preferred against former governor of Delta State, James Onanefe Ibori by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, a three-man panel of justices at the Benin Division of the Court of Appeal today, May 15, 2014 ruled that the ex- governor who is currently serving a 13-year jail term in a London prison, has a case to answer. The unanimous decision of court setting aside the infamous ruling of Justice Awokulehin was delivered by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa and was supported by Justices P. M Ekpe…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has tasked the media to continue to support its efforts at fighting Economic and Financial Crimes in Nigeria. Ibrahim Lamorde, Executive Chairman of the Commission gave the charge May 12 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while welcoming participants to a workshop on “Effective Reporting of Economic and Financial Crimes’’, organized by the agency for journalists reporting its activities in the six states of the South-South region. The EFCC boss who spoke through Osita Nwajah, Deputy Director, Public Affairs, acknowledged the contributions of the media to the fight against corruption but noted there was room…
Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos was on Wednesday, May 14, 2014 told that a prosecution witness in the trial of a former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode was hostile and should be pronounced so by the court. Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Festus Keyamo, told the court that, the witness, Mr. Ojo Agbor was hostile to him and gave contradictory testimony in court. At the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday, Keyamo presented Agbor before the court as a prosecution witness. Initially, Agbor told the EFCC that, Fani-Kayode, at various…
The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), Bonny Naval base, Port Harcourt on Tuesday May 12, 2014 handed over 11 suspected oil thieves and a metal barge (Henry 2) loaded with about 230 metric tons of substance suspected to be crude oil to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for further investigation and prosecution. The suspects were arrested at the Bonny water ways on April 22, 2014. They include: Daniel Ojokparoghene, Henry Mangibo, John Atobere, Ben Lawson, God’s Strength Samson and Jacob Abagidi. Others are: Tamunoi Yawuna Genesis, David Ben, Frank James, Gabriel Lucky and Danlami AwutaThe Commanding Officer,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC on Tuesday May 13, 2014 arraigned Daniel Solomon and Adams Paul before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court Kaduna on 6-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, counterfeiting, conspiracy and cheating. The accused persons are alleged to have hoodwinked one Boniface Chukwu into parting with various sums of money amounting to N12.5 million under the pretense of doubling the said money. One of the charge reads, “that you Daniel Solomon, Adamu Admas Paul (AKA Paul Waje) and Sani (now at large) between 1st January, 2010 to 23rd May, 2012 in…
The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU has received special commendation for its commitment to the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.The commendation was the highpoint of deliberations at the 21 plenary session of the Inter Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering, GIABA, in Niamey, Niger Republic, where Nigeria was rated first among 16 member states for the FIU’s compliance with the FATF 40 + 9 Recommendations using the Mutual Evaluation Reports, MERs, and Follow-up Reports sent to the FATF. This accolade contradicts publication in section of the media alleging that the NFIU had been frozen out of the comity…
A Federal High Court sitting in Yenegoa, Balyesa State has convicted three Indian nationals, Sailesh Kumar Singh, (the Captain of the vessel), Chadrashekar Sharma and Ajay Bhatiya, owner of the vessel MT Akshay, (still at large) to fifteen years imprisonment for offenses that borders on oil theft. The convicts were among twelve suspected oil thieves, including eight other Indians, one Ghanaian and a Nigerian arrested aboard MT Akshay by men of the Joint Task Force, Central Naval Command, Yenegoa sometimes November, 2012 and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for further investigation and prosecution. They were arraigned…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned the duo of Nnanna Kalu, 26 and Ukaegbu Arisa Oti, 27, before Justice F. A. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court Umuahia, Abia State on a 28-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and forgery. The two are alleged to be part of a five-man syndicate that defrauded one Michael J. Firm (a South African) of the sum of $60,000 (sixty thousand dollars) under the pretense of registering his company with NAFDAC. The company was to supply the Federal Ministry of Defence with pre-cooked meals in sachets. One of the…
Justice Muhammad Garba Umar of the Federal High Court, Bauchi today convicted an sentenced Ahmad Adamu, a 25-year-old native doctor from Tilden Fulani, Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State to 12 years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to a two count charge of obtaining by false pretence brought against him by the Economic and financial Crimes Commission. Adamu allegedly defrauding a hospital worker and resident of Tilden Fulani, Hajia Akilatu Ahmad of a total sum of N500,000 under the pretext that he had mystical powers to make her richSometime in April 2013, Ahmad was said to have called Akilatu…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has faulted the claim by Mr. Godwin Adeolu Dania, former Private Secretary to ex- governor of Edomite State, Mr. Lucky Igbinedion that he was not aware that the former governor took loans or guaranteed some loans for Gava Corporation. At the resumed hearing of the N25b theft charge preferred against the younger brother to the former governor, Michael Igbinedion and six others by the EFCC at the Federal High Court, Benin on May 8, prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, retrieved and re-examined some documents already before the court, to establish that, Dania actually…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on May 5, 2014 arraigned one Enekwechi Raymond Onyimba before the Chief Judge of Enugu State High Court, Justice I. A Uwazulike on a 2- count charge of criminal diversion of fund and obtaining money by false pretence. Onyimba is alleged to have sold a property located at plot 622, Trans-Ekulu, New GRA, Enugu to Enyinnaya Igwe but fraudulently withheld the certificate of occupancy (C of O) to the property valued at thirty million naira and used the said C of O as collateral to secure a loan for his company, Ojaz Nigeria…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday May 5, 2014, arraigned one Lebechi Chinedu, before Justice B.O Quadri of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on a 2-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence. The accused allegedly collected N10, 500, 000 (Ten Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) from one Samuel Johnson in a phony contract deal. The alleged sum was a contract fee for the construction of a block of six classrooms at Etche Local Government Council of Rivers State.According to Samuel, the accused posing as Supervisor for Works in the council claimed he could facilitate…