A deadly syndicate of fraudsters who virtually opened an office for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Akure, the Ondo State capital, from where they despatch fake invitation letters to unsuspecting heads of government agencies purporting to be carrying out investigation activities against them, has been uncovered.The kingpin of the syndicate, one Olubunmo Olalekan, who is currently in EFCC custody in Abuja, was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, and handed over to the Commission. At the point of arrest, Olalekan who parades himself as a Principal Detective Superintendent of the EFCC, had in his…
Author: Kunle Edun
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, will on Friday, October 17, 2014 present a second witness in the trial of a former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.Daniel is facing trial on a 38-count charge of stealing public funds, bribery, fraudulent conversion of public property and false declaration of assets to the tune of N211.3million.At the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday, prosecuting counsel, Adebisi Adeniyi who stood in for Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, informed the court that the witness will further testify against the former governor.Earlier, Mr Kunle Osota, former Director, Bureau of Lands and Survey, Ogun…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) today October 15, 2014 arraigned one Husein Tahir and his company Kamisa Nigeria Limited before Justice Farouq Lawal of the Kano State High Court on a 6-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation and issuance of dud cheque.The accused allegedly received the sum of N22, 650,000 from the petitioner, for the execution of a contract with the Nigerian Customs Service but after the contract was concluded and money paid, he fraudulently converted the money to his use. The accused person later issued the complainant five diamond bank cheques to the tune of N32, 650,000.…
Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court sitting in Gudu, Abuja today, October 14, 2014 adjourned to January 14, 2015 for further hearing in a case of N5.2bn scam instituted against Samuel Ibi Gekpe and five other senior officials of Rural Electrification Agency, REA, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.Gekpe and the other accused persons- Abdullahi Aliyu, Simon Kirdi Nanle, Lawrence Kayode Orekoya, Abdul-samad Garba Jahun and Kayode Oyedeji were accused of breaching the trust conferred on them as public officers by fraudulently awarding contract for Grid Extension and Solar Electricity from the amended…
Counsel to Oluwaseun Ogunbambo who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the N1.2billion scam, Mr. Mobolaji Akintunde, on Tuesday, October 14, 2014, told a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere, that he was withdrawing from the case owing to his inability to ensure the physical presence of his client in court.Akintunde told the court he will be proceeding with the application filed on May 14th, 2014, expressing his decision to withdraw his representation from the trial. “I urge your lordship to hear our prayer based on all the supporting documents’’ he said. Ogunbambo is standing…
Director General, Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation, NBC, Emeka Mba, on Friday, October 10, 2014, vigorously commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for being positively prominent on the social media platforms.The Director General made the commendation at the closing ceremony of a three day Retreat on Security/Media Relations in Crisis Management, organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser in collaboration with Trim Communications Nigeria limited in Abuja. The DG, while appraising government institutions and the opportunities available on the social media platforms asked rhetorically, “how many government institutions present here today have presence on the social media platforms?”…
Justice Dije Abdu Aboki of Kano State High Court on Friday October 10, 2014 convicted and sentenced one Abdul Auwal Yahaya to nine and half years imprisonment without option of fine on six count charges bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence and forgery. The convict was arraigned on November 18, 2013 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before Justice Aboki for allegedly conniving with one Bashir Ahmed Haruna (already convicted) and obtaining the sum N2, 027,000 under the pretext that he is an agent of Future University, Cairo and was capable of securing admission into the institution…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today October 13, 2014, arraigned Aduaka Anthony, Madu Jonathan and Joeantho Nigeria limited before Justice Okereke of an Enugu High Court on a 3-count charge bothering on false information.Aduaka Anthony and Madu Jonathan had petitioned the EFCC over a case of dud cheques amounting to five million four hundred thousand naira (N5,400,000.00) purportedly issued to their company by the duo of Dr. Iggi B. Gambo and Dr. Felix O. Nwokocha, both of Civil Awareness and Economic Empowerment Initiative.The petitioners had alleged that Civil Awareness and Economic Empowerment Initiative (an NGO) had asked their…
The extradition process initiated against Ehidiamhem Okoyomon, former Managing Director of Nigeria Security Minting and Printing Company, NSPMC, by the office of Attorney General of the Federation before Justice E.S Chukwu of the Federal High Court could not go on today. Okoyomon’s extradition is being sought by the UK government over his alleged role in the bribery scandal involving officials of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the Nigeria Security Minting and Printing Company, NSPMC, and Securency International Pty of Australia between 2006 and 2008 When the case was called for mention today, the defence counsel, Alex Iziyon, SAN, told the…
Walter Wagbatsama, Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi and their company, Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited have lost in their bid to stop their trial for obtaining N1.9billion in unearned fuel subsidy. Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on Friday, October 10th, 2014, dismissed their applications challenging the jurisdiction and competence of the court and seeking the quashing of the charges preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The defendants had, through their counsel, made a no-case submission before the court.However, Justice Okunnu upheld the argument of the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, who argued that…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will on Monday, October 13, 2014 present Ehidiamhem Okoyomon, former managing director and chief executive officer, Nigeria Security, Minting and Printing Company, NSPM, for extradition before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.Okoyomon’s extradition is being sought by the UK government over his alleged role in the bribery allegation involving officials of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the Nigeria Security, Minting and Printing Company, NSPM, and Securency International Pty of Australia between 2006 and 2008
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) today October 9, 2014 arraigned one Hassan Khalid along side his company, Himma Travel and Tours Limited before Justice Dije Aboki of Kano High Court on one count charge for issuance of dud cheque valued at N9,514,000.00(Nine Million Five Hundred and Fourteen Thousand Naira) only in favour of Universal Isma Umra Travels and Tour Limited.The count reads “that you Hassan Khalid and Himma Travel and Tours on or about January 2012 at Kano within the Jurisdiction of the High Court of Kano State did issue a Zenith Bank Plc cheque No. 61601644 of…
Justice Kudirat Jose of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja on Thursday, October 9, 2014, convicted and sentenced the duo of Sunday John Ntephe and Olomosu Kola to one year imprisonment each for conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.The two convicts were arraigned on September 30, 2014 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a 2-count charge that bordered on advance fee fraud and obtaining money under false pretence. The convicts allegedly obtained the sum of N125,000 from one Adetiba Oluwafemi in a money making scam popularly called wash wash.While taking their pleas, they pleaded guilty on…
A businessman, Mr Joseph Nweke was today, October 8, 2014 arraigned before Justice Dije Aboki of Kano State High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on a 2-count charge that borders on failure to declare all his Assets.The accused who was investigated by the Commission in a case of Criminal Breach of Trust and Issuance Dud Cheque, allegedly under declared his assets by refusing to disclose his interest in a plot of land valued at N 10,000,000.00( Ten Million Naira) , an Infinity FX 35 2006 model vehicle with registration No. KMC 655 BL and 500 units of…
The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to a report which was widely syndicated in the newspapers and online media on Monday, October 6, 2014, alleging the involvement of officials of the Commission in a bribery scandal over the Gbaran Ubie Gas Project in Bayelsa State. The report which is purportedly based on a petition to the House of Representatives by a certain Chidi David Adebanya ought to be ignored as the motive is essentially to befuddle the case pending against the petitioner at the Federal High Court, Abuja.However, the Commission is constrained to…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) today October 2, 2014 arraigned the duo of Alhaji Abdul Ahmadu and Bello Isa before Justice Farouq Lawal of the Kano State High Court on a 3-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and obtaining money by false pretence. The accused persons allegedly induced one Alhaji Mohammed Sani Utai to part with the sum of N6, 100,000 (Six Million One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) under the pretext that they were going to sell a Mercedes Benz GLK car to him. After obtaining the money in various tranches, the car was neither delivered…
Justice Fatu Riman of the Federal High Court Kano today, September 30, 2014 convicted and sentenced one Abubakar Salihu to five years imprisonment with option of N300, 000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) fine on one count charge of possession of counterfeit United State Dollars. The convict was arrested on July 22, 2014 by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, after he was named as accomplice in another fraud investigation. He was arrested with five pieces of counterfeit one hundred dollar bills. The charge against the convict reads, “that you Abubakar Salihu on or about 22nd day of…
A 60-year-old man, Vincent Odionu was on Monday September 29, 2014, arraigned before Justice M.A. Onyetenu of the Federal High Court, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 2-count charge that borders on stealing, forgery and impersonation.The accused person who is an agent to a brokerage firm, Lion Stockbrokers Limited, allegedly conspired with others to sell the shares of Onwubu Gibson Anake ( deceased) in several blue chip companies ( RT Briscoe, CFAO, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria, First Bank, Oando, Nigerian Breweries, etc) without authorisation. The total value of the shares sold by…
A lead Investigator with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Norm Leger has commended the professional achievements and conduct of men and officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.“My impression of EFCC can be summed in just three words; very professional, high integrity and very competent. I have been very impressed to be honest”, Leger said, as he rounded off a two-week course on “Tactical Intelligence Analyses” organized for investigators and analysts drawn from the EFCC, Nigeria Police and Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement agency by Royal Canadian Mounted Police, EFCC and other stakeholders at the EFCC Academy, Abuja.He said,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, September 26, 2014 arraigned one Christopher Nduka before Justice Tukur Muhammed of Kaduna State High Court on one count charge bordering on issuance of dud cheque to the tune of nine hundred and eighty two thousand Naira.The accused pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.The count reads:“that you Christopher Nduka on or about the 29th July, 2011 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Kaduna State knowingly and fraudulently issued a cheque No. 05079552 dated 22nd July, 2011 in the sum of Nine Hundred and…