The Consular General of the United States of America in Nigeria, Jeffrey Hawkins, has commended the strides being made by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in its task of ridding the nation of economic and financial crimes.Hawkins gave the commendation in Lagos August 6 at a training programme organized by the American Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, for operatives of some law enforcement agencies including the EFCC. According to him, “the EFCC has been outstanding in the fight against corruption and financial crimes, which is why the collaboration between the EFCC, America Embassy and the FBI has been…
Author: Kunle Edun
Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde has called on women across the nation to embrace the fight against corruption in Nigeria.Lamorde made the call on Monday, August 11, 2014 at a one-day sensitisation workshop organised for women civil society and community based groups by EFCC in collaboration with African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, AFRICMIL, at Newton Park Hotel & Resorts, Abuja, Lamorde who was represented by Dr. David Tukura, Director Planning, Policy and Statistics said that, the workshop was organised to encourage women to take ownership of the war against corruption. According to him, “the Commission…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, wishes to alert the general public to the activities of unscrupulous estate developers in the Federal Capital Territory, who are in the habit of defrauding aspiring home owners through bogus offers.In recent weeks the Commission has recorded an upsurge in the number of reported cases of individuals, mostly low and middle income earners , who have been swindled after they responded to advertisement for subscription to own properties in many of the estates being promoted by unscrupulous developers in the FCT.Usually, the so called developers, once they are able to secure land allocation…
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde has commended the partnership between the EFCC and the Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, in the fight against corruption in Nigeria .Lamorde made the commendation August 7, 2014 during a sensitization programme organized for management and staff of the NCC in Abuja .Lamorde who was represented by Osita Nwajah, deputy director, Public Affairs said the programme is designed to foster collaboration with NCC as a key player in the fight against corruption particularly in information and communication sector in Nigeria .The EFCC boss said that, the partnership will go a…
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde has again stressed the need for journalists to embrace the fight against economic and financial crimes in Nigeria .Lamorde made this call on Monday, August 4, 2014 during a workshop organised for selected practicing journalists in the North-West Zone in Kano . The EFCC boss who spoke through Osita Nwajah, deputy director, Public Affairs, told participants that there is a need for all stakeholders to take up the fight against graft as EFCC alone cannot fight and win the war against corruption in Nigeria . “The Commission relies on the…
The Nigerian Navy Central Command, Yenagoa on Thursday July 31, 2014 handed over sixteen suspected oil thieves and a vessel, MV MARO to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for further investigation and prosecution. According to the Commanding Officer, Navy Captain N.M. Madugu, the vessel and the suspects were arrested on July 22, 2014 at Agbara, Yenagoa.Aboard the vessel were three Ghanaians: Robert Gakpetoe, the captain of the vessel; Quarshie Kofi Eric and Hanson Jacob. Others are two Nigerians, Wilfred R Fianu and Raphael Agidi and eleven Indians: Mohammad Towavalam, Soni Kumar, Parveen, Heeray Yodam, Pradeep Kumar Sharma, Ajay…
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde has again reiterated the need for Nigerian workers to take up the gauntlet in the fight against economic and financial crimes in Nigeria.Lamorde made this call on Tuesday July 22, 2014 at the EFCC anti-corruption sensitization programme organized for management and staff of Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Abuja. Lamorde who was represented by Osita Nwajah, deputy director, Public Affairs, told staff of PTDF that the programme was designed for the public and private sector workers in keeping with the mandate of the Commission to prevent economic and financial…
Alleged serial fraudster, Fred Ajudua today lost his bid to stop his trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations of defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Ishaya Bamaiyi of about $8.39million between November 2004 and June 2005.The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal today dismissed Ajudua’s application challenging the competence of the charge and the jurisdiction of the Lagos High Court.Ajudua, who was arraigned before Justice Atinuke Ipaye of the Lagos High Court on a 14-count charge that borders on obtaining by false pretence, had filed notice of preliminary objection in which he…
The chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, today, Wednesday July 16, 2014 listed delay in the determination of cases in court as the greatest challenge in protecting the nation’s sea-based economic assets and enforcing maritime security in the country.Lamorde stated this when he hosted a five-man team from the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, who were in the Commission to discuss issues of operational enforcement of existing Maritime laws in Nigeria as part of the country’s entry into the African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership, AMLEP.Lamorde stated that the importance of securing the Nigerian waterways could…
Justice M.S Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Warri, Delta State has convicted and sentenced one Shedrack Ofose to one year imprisonment without an option of fine for conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum products.Justice Abubakar found him guilty of the 2-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and sentenced him to 6 months jail imprisonment on each count. The sentences are to run concurrently. The court also ordered that the exhibit vehicles be auctioned and the proceeds remitted into the Federation Account.The convict was arraigned March 5, 2013. One of the counts that sent…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, July 15, 2014 arraigned one Bashir Salihu before Justice M. Talba of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gudu, Abuja on a 2-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and issuance of dud cheque.Salihu allegedly obtained the sum of sixteen million naira (N16m) as loan from one Ramatu A Isiaq for the construction of perimeter fence of Niger Delta Science, Technology and Bio Industrial Park in Sagbama, Bayelsa State.The accused is said to have promised to repay the loan with interest within three months but failed to do…
Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State Thursday July 10, 2014 convicted and sentenced one Sunday Eze to thirteen years imprisonment for obtaining money under false pretence.The convict was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in February 2013 on a two count charge that borders on advance fee fraud and obtaining money under false pretence.One of the counts reads; “that you Sunday Eze on or about the 20th day of November, 2012 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud did obtain the sum…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Thursday, July 10, 2014 arraigned the duo of Orum Chinedu and Onyiye Chima before Justice S.M Shaibu of the Federal High Court, Owerri on a 5-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.The accused persons allegedly obtained the sum of N20, 000,000:00 from one Ekwe Augustine Mark under the pretext that they would help him secure an oil pipeline laying contract in Awa Community in Imo State from oil major, Addax Petroleum.They allegedly perfected the scam by presenting themselves as staff of the oil company will powers to influence the contract…
Justice Faruk Lawan of Kano State High Court Thursday July 10, 2014 convicted and sentenced one Auwalu Ibrahim to one year imprisonment with an option of N100, 000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine for the offence of criminal breach of trust and issuance of dud cheque.The convict was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on January 16, 2014 on 2-count charge.One of the charge reads, “That you Auwal Ibrahim being the Manager of Dan Wali Bureau de Change sometime in August 2012, in Kano within the Judicial Division of the High Court of Justice of Kano state…
A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of a former governor of Ogun State, Mr. Gbenga Daniel, on Thursday, July 10, 2014, told an Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta, that a file containing records of properties allocated to the former governor, could not be found.The witness, Mr. Isaac Akogun told Justice Olanrewaju Mabekoje that the original letter of allocation of property to the former Governor could not be tendered in court because of the files are missing. “We don’t seem to have the files. They may have been taken away by the former Director- General”, he declared.At the…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday July 9, 2014 arraigned one Monibidor Bassey Ebiowei before Justice Valentine Ashi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, on a seven count charge bordering on fraud and obtaining the sum of Thirteen Million, Four Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira only (N13, 430,000) by false pretence.One of the counts reads:“That you, Monibidor Bassey Ebiowei on the 21st day of February, 2011, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the High of the FCT, did fraudulently obtain the total sum of N6,000,000.00 (Six Million Naira) from one Martins Ugbini, the Managing DirectorChief Executive…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today arraigned the Taraba State Accountant – General, Joel Joseph Lenbang, before Justice Donatus Nwabueze Okorowo of the Federal High Court Jalingo for defrauding Taraba State Government to the tune of N1.56 billion.He was docked on an 8-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, offences contrary to and punishable under the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.When the charges were read to him, the accused person pleaded not guilty.The malfeasance came to light following a petition received from a concerned Taraba State indigene, sometime in February 2014, alleging massive looting…
Justice Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Tuesday, July 8,2014 convicted and sentenced the duo of Duru Cosmos and Paul Momoh of Mbakwha Cooperative Society to two years and three months imprisonment for conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.The duo were arraigned on June 29, 2012 by the EFCC on a 2-count charge of fraudulent conversion of project funds for personal use following a petition by the Ministry of Mines and Steels Development. The convicts who are the chairman and secretary of Mbakwha Cooperative Society respectively were said to have been awarded…
The fight against corruption in public life would acquire greater traction if citizens show more interest in monitoring budget implementation.This was the preponderance of views at a two-day workshop on Budget Tracking organized the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, through its Enlightenment and Re-orientation unit, E&R, in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State July 8, 2014. In his keynote address, the Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde who spoke through Osita Nwajah, deputy director, Public Affairs, said the workshop became necessary because of the need to educate people on budget tracking and monitoring in the fight against economic and financial crimes. He said the…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday July 7, 2014 arraigned one Emmanuel Nathaniel before Justice Othman Musa of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo on one count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and issuance of dud cheque to the tune of twelve million, nine hundred and ten thousand naira.When the charge was read, the accused pleaded not guilty.The count reads: “That you Emmanuel Nathaniel (M) on or about the 31st of March, 2012 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did obtain credit by…