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Tag: EFCC

  • FUTA frowns as EFCC raids, arrest students

    FUTA frowns as EFCC raids, arrest students

    Management of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) has frowned at the modus operandi of operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the arrest of some suspected fraudsters.

    It, however, clarified that the EFCC operation happened in an off-campus private hostel.

    The EFCC operatives had raided some private hostels in the Orita Obele area of Akure metropolis where some students of the institution reside.

    It was gathered that the EFCC operatives stormed the hostels at about 2 am on Wednesday and allegedly treated students unfairly.

    The spokesman for FUTA, Adegbenro Adebanjo, in a statement, expressed reservations about the timing and mode of the operation.

    Read Also: FUTA students protest increased tuition fees

    Adegbenro stated: “Such patently dangerous tactics should not have been employed by the operatives. The process should always follow due process without causing harm or injuries to anybody physically or psychologically.

    “Indeed but for providence something untoward could have happened in the course of the operation carried out in the off-campus hostels.

    “The University is in touch with the EFCC to ascertain the identity of those arrested and validate their studentship and also to ensure that innocent FUTA students are not punished for offences they have not committed.

    “FUTA abhors all forms of anti-social practices including acts of criminality in all its forms and supports all initiatives to bring perpetrators to face the consequences of their actions within the ambits of the law. The University rules and regulations as contained in the Students Code of Conduct as stipulated in the University Handbook and oath of Matriculation which all students are made to sign specifically prescribe varying degrees of punishment for students who run afoul of the laws governing their studentship or engage in illegal acts or odious behaviour.”

  • Alleged money laundering: Court stops EFCC from investigating Brig-Gen. Charles Nengite

    Alleged money laundering: Court stops EFCC from investigating Brig-Gen. Charles Nengite

     A Federal High Court, Abuja has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from inviting or investigating Brig.-Gen. Charles Nengite over alleged money laundering offence during his secondment to Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who made an order of perpetual injunction, held that the EFCC lacked the constitutional power to invite or investigate the serving military officer, having been investigated, tried and punished by the General Court Martial in accordance with the Armed Forces Act which he was subject to.

    The judge also made an order quashing the commission’s invitation to Nengite as contained in its letters of June 16, 2022; Aug. 2, 2022 and any other Invitation letters thereof, for being invalid, null and void, and of no effect whatsoever.

    He equally made a declaration that from the construction and interpretation of Sections 6 and 7 and all other relevant provisions of the EFCC Act, 2004, its invitation for the purpose of investigation for alleged money laundering or any other civil crime was invalid.

    Justice Egwuatu, in the judgment delivered on Jan. 29 and a copy of the certified true copy sighted on Wednesday, awarded the sum of N500, 000 as damages against the anti-graft agency for its ultra vires acts.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nengite had, in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1645/2022, sued the EFCC as sole defendant.

    In the originating summons dated Sept. 13 but filed Sept. 24, 2022, the army officer sought nine questions for determination and prayed for 10 reliefs.

    He urged the court to determine whether from the construction and interpretation of the Armed Forces Act CAP A20, 1994, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, the EFCC Act, and the 1999 Constitution, the anti-graft agency had the powers to re-examine and or re-investigate acts for which it had already discharged him of, among others.

    In his affidavit, Nengite averred that sometime in the year 2018, he was seconded to the NDDC with the consent of the then Chief of Army Staff, Lieut-Gen. Tukur Buratai, for strategic thinking.

    He said in the course of discharging his duties in the NDDC, the EFCC, through its then Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), flagged his account and raised an alarm of some suspicious transactions in the account with the belief that he was involved in money laundering, gratification, misapplication of property, among others.

    Nengite said as a result of the report, he was detained by the Military Police on Dec. 2, 2019, investigated on the allegation of money laundering, gratification and abuse of office and subsequently charged before the Court Martial as provided by the Armed Forces Act.

    He averred that he was found guilty of the offence of gratification but discharged for the offence of money laundering. In line with the finding of guilt for the offence of gratification.

    He said he was made to forfeit his seniority in rank of Brigadier General for a cumulative period of two years.

    He said while his trial was ongoing before the General Court Martial, the Port-Harcourt Zonal Office of the EFCC continued its investigation, and the outcome of which was that he was not found culpable of the offence of money laundering or any other offence or at all.

    Read Also: EFCC arrests 59-year-old suspect for currency racketeering in A’Ibom

    “The plaintiff served the punishment and sentence meted by the Court Martial for two years, after which the plaintiff resumed his duty post at the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Abuja on the 23rd day of March, 2022.

    “On August 1, 2022, the plaintiff was informed by the office of the Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army of a letter dated June 16, 2022 (exhibit GN3), from the defendant addressed to the Nigerian Army requesting the plaintiff to appear before it on June 27, 2022, on an alleged case of money laundering,” he said.

    Delivering the judgement, Justice Egwuatu said Nengite’s suit succeeded in part.

    (NAN)

  • EFCC arrests 59-year-old suspect for currency racketeering in A’Ibom

    EFCC arrests 59-year-old suspect for currency racketeering in A’Ibom

    The Uyo zonal command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has apprehended Simon Bassey Idio for currency racketeering in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    According to a statement from the Command’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, released to journalists on Tuesday, the 59-year-old suspect was apprehended on Friday, February 9, at the Ibom Tropicana Mall on Udo Udoma Way in Uyo.

    The arrest of the ‘naira trader’ followed intelligence and surveillance activities concerning his illicit cash transactions involving local and foreign currencies within the state.

    Read Also: EFCC arraigns businessman over alleged fraud

    The statement read: “He was caught selling N700,000.00 (Seven Hundred Thousand Naira) new notes in two denominations: Twelve (12) bundles of N500 notes totalling N600,000.00(Six Hundred Thousand Naira) and a bundle of N1000 notes totalling N100,000.00.

    “Idio confessed to the crime and would be charged to Court soon”.

  • FRN vs. Ali Bello & Anor: Drama as EFCC’s witness counters alleged threats

    FRN vs. Ali Bello & Anor: Drama as EFCC’s witness counters alleged threats

    There was drama on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that its main witness, Rabiu Musa, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/550/2022: FRN v. Ali Bello & Anor, had been scared away from trial. 

    The witness, an Abuja based Bureau De Change operator, was alleged to have been threatened following his appearance at the last trial and got scared.

    Lawyer to the anti-graft agency, Hannatu Kofamaisa, made the allegations at the resumed trial of Ali Bello and Daudu Suleiman.

    She told Justice James Omotoso that the witness would not be in court to continue his evidence based on his experience of threats at the last adjourned date, adding that she had called the witness five times but that he was no longer picking her calls.

    Counsel to Ali Bello, Abdullahi Aliu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, told the court that he would not react to the EFCC’s allegations because they were not targeted at his client and did not oppose the request for an adjournment.

    Drama unfolded when the witness alleged to have been threatened away from court and would not attend the trial, suddenly walked into the court room without any signs of apprehension.

    The counsel to Ali Bello got up and drew the attention of Justice Omotoso to the quiet arrival of the witness into the court room.

    Justice Omotoso however doused tension when he prevented lawyers to Ali Bello and Daudu Suleman from joining issues with EFCC on the allegations.

    In his testimony, the witness identified one of his record books of transactions seized from him by EFCC during a raid of his office at Wuse, in Abuja and also admitted knowing Ali Bello.

    Read Also: EFCC arraigns businessman over alleged fraud

    Under cross examination by Nureni Jimoh SAN who stood for Daudu Suleman, the Bureau De Change operator who claimed to be an illiterate said most of the transactions were recorded for him by one Mubarak who he said was literate and now a student at a University.

    He also admitted that parts of the transactions were recorded in his absence but that he was always briefed upon his arrival at the office.

    Justice Omotoso thereafter fixed February 22 and 23 for continuation of trial.

  • EFCC arraigns businessman over alleged fraud

    EFCC arraigns businessman over alleged fraud

    By Azeezat Abisogun

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a businessman, Erichona Ushie, at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja over an alleged N35.4 million fraud.

    Ushie pleaded not guilty to a 13-count charge of obtaining by false pretenses and stealing contrary to Section 1(1)(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, as well as Section 280(1)(b) and punishable under Section 287 of Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

    The prosecution said Ushie, sometime in 2023, with intent to defraud, obtained the aggregate sum of N35,397,000, property of Calibration and Non-destructive Services Limited under the pretense that the money “is for the purpose of securing award of contract from Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)”

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    Prosecution counsel, Mrs Bilikisu Buhari, said the EFCC would call 13 witnesses.

    Defence counsel, Ms. C.C. Orji, said she filed an application for bail.

    Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe declined to release the defendant to Orji as prayed.

    She ordered that the defendant be remand at the Correctional Centre pending bail hearing and adjourned till June 20.

  • Kogi Govt to EFCC: don’t intimidate Bello

    Kogi Govt to EFCC: don’t intimidate Bello

    KOGI State Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are on a collision course over moves by the commission to bring corruption charges against the former governor, Yahaya Bello.

    The state government said the commission was only trying to tarnish the image and reputation of the former governor.

    After crossing the hurdle of succession and handing over to his successor, Governor Usman Ododo, the state government is agitated that the anti-graft body is trying to witch-hunt Bello.

    According to the Information and Communications Commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo, there is a sinister motive, in fact, an agenda, to charge Bello for diverting public funds when he was in office.

    The commissioner attributed Bello’s ordeal to the antics of ‘rougue politicians’ conniving with the anti-graft agency to ridicule the former governor, fondly called the ‘White Lion’ by admirers.

    He said the goal is to dent his image outside power. In the process, Fanwo said that recourse to a clandestine agenda is, in turn, tarnishing the image of the commission. Then, the Kogi government challenged the EFCC to a duel. It said that Kogi money was working for its people, and not missing as being insinuated by the commission.

    Fanwo also said exploiting EFCC as a tool of oppression and repression is against the anti-corruption vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    Trouble started when the EFCC, in an amended charge, accused the former governor of diverting Kogi State Government funds in September 2015, four months before he assumed office as governor in Lokoja, the state capital.

    To the state government, this is not only laughable but smacks of lack of due diligence.

     Fanwo, said: “The fact that the EFCC, in charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/550/2022: FRN V. 1. Ali Bello 2. Dauda Suleiman, currently pending before Honorable Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division further amended the ‘Amended Charge’ to include in the count, the name of H.E Yahaya Bello, describing him as being “at large”, is ridiculous, laughable and portrays the EFCC as an agency infested with persons whose intents disagree with the noble intention of Mr. President to defeat corruption in Nigeria.

    “The phrase: “Being ‘at large,’ means that a person is evading arrest or is on the run and cannot be found after an attempt to arrest.”

    The commissioner clarified that the original charge was against Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman, Ali’s associate.

    The offence which H.E Yahaya Bello is alleged to have committed upon which he has been named in the count is a conspiracy to convert the total sum of N80,246,470,089.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty-Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Eighty Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo). He was said to have committed the offence on or about September 2015 in Abuja. His co-conspirators, according to the count, are Abdulsalami Hudu (Kogi State Government House Cashier), described as being ‘at large’ too, Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu to flag off N750 million ‘trader money’ for 15,000 beneficiaries on February 14

    What is curious, the commissioner said is that “the count of the offence is most laughable as the election that produced Yahaya Bello as governor of Kogi was only conducted in November 2015.

    “Also, it was Captain Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who held sway as governor at that time until he handed over to Bello on January 27, 2016.

    “There are puzzles: How could Bello have as of September 2015 conspired with anyone, including Abdulsalami Hudu, a Kogi Government House Cashier, to convert any money belonging to the Kogi State Government?

    “Also, how could Bello, who had no financial dealings with the Kogi State Government before assuming the reins, have converted monies belonging to the Kogi State Government?”

    Following the EFCC’s statement, some political actors have intensified their campaign of calumny.

    Warning them to desist, the state government maintained in a statement that no public money was missing in Kogi.

    It said the EFCC leadership should tender an apology because of its “ridiculous, shameless and indefensible allegation.”

    Kogi government also urged the President to step in to save the integrity of the EFCC from those “pushing the Commission into a fight that should be left to politicians.”

    It added: “The Kogi State Government under the leadership of His Excellency Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo will continue to support the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President.

    “We will also continue to promote probity, accountability and transparency and open our books to agencies and institutions constitutionally empowered to look into them. We will continue to win awards in transparency and accountability.”

  • EFCC arrests five suspected internet fraudsters in Makurdi

    EFCC arrests five suspected internet fraudsters in Makurdi

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested five suspected internet fraudsters.

    Its Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

    He said that they were arrested on Friday at kansho village in the Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue.

    Read Also: EFCC declares Emefiele’s wife, three others wanted

     According to him, the arrest is sequel to the actionable intelligence on their suspected involvement in internet – related offences.

    ”The suspects are Shima Francis, Ode Jesse, Odey Linus, Kingsley Obinna and Emmanuel Inaleguwu.

    ”Items recovered from them  are one iPhone and five android phones.

    ”They suspects would  be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” he said.(NAN)

  • EFCC declares Emefiele’s wife, three others wanted

    EFCC declares Emefiele’s wife, three others wanted

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday declared Margaret Dumbiri Emefiele, wife of embattled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele wanted.

    Also declared wanted by the anti-graft agency were Eric Ocheme Odoh (m), Jonathan Omoile (m) and Anita Joy Omoile (f) for alleged for allegedly conniving with the immediate past CBN governor to convert “huge sums of money” belonging to the Federal Government.

    The EFCC, in a public notice, also accused the wanted persons of committing felony to wit: obtaining money by false pretences and stealing, contrary to and punishable under Sections 411, 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.”

    Read Also; Welcome to Gomorrah: Gombe’s sin city where women, beer are valued more than food

    It asked people with information on the whereabouts of the wanted persons to contact any of its offices or call 08093322644.

    The former CBN governor is currently standing trial on 20-count amended charges bordering on conferment of corrupt advantages, conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, forgery and obtaining by false pretences to the tune of Six Million, Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand United States Dollar ($6,230,000.00).

  • Man, 32, bags two years imprisonment for $3,000 fraud

    Man, 32, bags two years imprisonment for $3,000 fraud

    An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Friday sentenced a 32-year-old man, Israel Osaije, to two years imprisonment for engaging in fraud and benefiting the sum of $3,000.

    Justice Ismail Ijelu however gave the convict an option of a N1 million fine, to be paid within one month, in lieu of imprisonment.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned the defendant on an amended one-count charge information bordering on fraudulent representation.

    The prosecution counsel, Ebareotu Pereagbe, had told the court that the defendant entered a plea bargain with the prosecution leading it to amend the charges.

    Pereagbe applied to the court to strike out the second count in the prosecution’s earlier charge.

    The trial judge granted the request of the prosecution.

    When the amended charge was read, the defendant pleaded guilty to “possessing fraudulent documents in which he falsely represented himself as a foreign woman.”

    The prosecution told the court that following the intelligence received, the defendant was arrested sometime in August 2023 at Peninsula Garden Estate, Lekki, Lagos.

    Read Also; Ex-soccer star, estranged wife bicker over mysterious death of two-year-old daughter

     He told the court that an iPhone 7 was recovered from Osaije and that the commission found fraudulent documents inside the phone during forensic analysis.

    He said: “The defendant’s phone was subjected to forensic analysis and incriminating documents were found. The documents were printed in front of the defendant.”

    The prosecution counsel told the court that the defendant wrote a statement confessing to benefitting USD 3,000 as proceeds of the fraudulent activity.

    Pereagbe also told the court that Osaije restituted N1 million in two tranches of N500,000, which he paid to the EFCC through Zenith Bank in January 2024 and Access Bank in February 2024.

    The prosecution counsel presented the court with the Access and Zenith bank managers’ cheques and sought to tender them in evidence along with the defendant’s statement and iPhone 7 mobile device.

    The judge admitted the materials as exhibits in evidence.

    Pereagbe asked the court to convict the defendant in view of his guilty plea.

    He also asked the court to order the defendant to forfeit both his iPhone 7 and the N1 million restituted and in the custody of the EFCC to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    Justice Ijelu asked the defendant whether he fully understood the charge against him and knew the consequences.

    The judge asked the defendant: “Do you know that you can choose to have a trial instead of taking a guilty plea? And allow the prosecution to prove its case against you?”

  • Anti-corruption groups fault EFCC on  Bello

    Anti-corruption groups fault EFCC on  Bello

    • CSOs say agency’s searchlight on ex-governor ‘political’

    Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) involved in the fight against corruption yesterday warned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman Ola Olukoyede against what they called victimising of erstwhile Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.

    The activists were reacting to allegations of financial misappropriation levelled against the former governor.

    In a statement, the CSOs alluded to a document the EFCC submitted to the court over allegations that Bello and his nephew, Alli Bello, converted Kogi State’s N80 billion since September 2015 to personal use.

    The CSOs comprising over 300 anti-corruption activists under seven broad frontline organisations, stressed that it had become necessary for those allegedly misusing the EFCC as a tool for victimisation and score-settling, especially political gladiators, to stop.

    Read Also: Reps probe delay in release of National ID cards from 2012

    They urged Olukoyede to disallow the use of the commission by “political miscreants who think EFCC is an extension of their political structures to be manipulated at will”.

    “While we stand solidly behind any credible anti-corruption drive, we, however, oppose and condemn unequivocally any and all corruption allegations with the trappings and trademarks of political victimisation, as this Kogi case clearly seems to be.

    “A court document at our disposal, submitted to the court by EFCC, is alleging that the former governor and his nephew, Alli Bello, converted Kogi State’s money to the tune of over N80 billion since September 2015.

    “This looks like a hurriedly prepared amendment targeted at an individual without paying much attention whatsoever to facts. Except the commission is able to prove before the court that the duo had been involved in financial transactions with Kogi State money before Bello assumed office in January 2016 as Kogi State governor, then they have a lot of questions to answer Nigerians,” the CSOs said.