The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) conducted a lengthy interrogation on Monday with the former Minister of Social Development, Disaster Management, and Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar-Farouk, regarding accusations of fraud.

A reliable source within the EFCC confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the former minister willingly appeared at the commission's headquarters on Monday morning.

"The former minister upheld her commitment to attend the commission's invitation concerning the alleged misappropriation of a multibillion-naira social intervention fund during her tenure," stated the source.

The source indicated that Umar-Farouk might be allowed to return home initially and might be required to come back for further questioning on Tuesday.

"She might not be detained immediately; there is a possibility she will be allowed to go home, but it will be late, and she has been instructed to report again tomorrow (Tuesday) morning for additional interrogation," the source added.

The ongoing EFCC investigation focuses on the alleged laundering of a substantial N37.1 billion by officials of the ministry during Umar-Farouk's time as minister.

A week ago, the EFCC also questioned Mrs. Halima Shehu, the suspended National Coordinator, and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), which falls under the ministry's supervision.

Members of the Economic and Financial Crime Commissions (EFCC) have revealed a few bags of spoilt Naira notes which were buried some place in Makurdi, Benue State.

The disclosure came following the new Naira notes upgrading by The Central Bank of Nigeria which implies the old delicate will presently not be substantial from January 31st, 2023. 

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This was focused on at the Naira note hoarders and corrupt people who have taken the nation's fortune previously.

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An Abuja High Court sitting in Maitama has ordered that the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, be committed to prison over contempt of court.

Justice Chizoba N. Oji also directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure the committal order is executed.

Oji gave the order on October 28, but a certified true copy was sighted yesterday in the motion on notice brought before the court by Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Rufus Adeniyi Ojuawo against the Federal Government of Nigeria, in a motion marked FCT/HC/M/52/2021, in the suit with the number FCT/HC/CR/184/2016.

Ojuawo had, through his counsel, R.N. Ojabo, sought “an order committing the chairman or acting chairman (or howsoever called), EFCC, Abuja, to prison for his disobedience, and continued disobedience of the order of this honourable court made on November 21, 2018 directing the EFCC to return to the applicant his Range Rover (Super charge) SUV and the sum of N40 million.”

The court held that having considered the motion on notice and the affidavit in support, as well as counter affidavit filed by the respondent and the submissions of EFCC counsel, Francis A. Jirbo, the EFCC chairman is in contempt of the order of the court made on November 21, 2018 directing the release of the applicant’s Range Rover (Super Charge) SUV and the sum of N40 million.

“It is, hereby, ordered as follows: that the chairman is in contempt of the orders of this honourable court made on November 21, 2018, directing the commission to return to the applicant his Range Rover (Super Charge) SUV and the sum of N40 million.

“That having continued willfully in disobedience to the order of this court, he be committed to prison at Kuje Correctional Centre for his disobedience and continued disobedience of the said order of court made on November 21, 2018, until he purges himself of the contempt. That the IGP shall ensure that the order of this honourable court is executed forthwith.”

Ojuawo, a former Chief of Expo, Nigeria Air Force (NAF), was on November 21, 2018 discharged and acquitted by Justice Muawiyah Baba Idris, sitting at Nyanya, Abuja, of a two-count charge bordering on gratification in the suit marked, 

FCT/HC/CV/184/2016, brought against him by the EFCC.

The one-time NAF Director of Operations was accused of corruptly receiving gratification to the tune of N40 million and a Range Rover SUV from one Hima Aboubakar of Societe D’Equipment Internationaux Nigeria Limited, which he pleaded not guilty to.

The offence, according to the anti-graft agency, was contrary to Section 17(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 17(c) of the same Act.

Idris held that EFCC failed to call Aboubakar, whom he described as a vital and material witness to its case, declaring that this was fatal to the matter.

“It is only by calling Aboubakar Hima as a witness that the mens rea (the purpose or reason of giving the alleged N40 million gratification) would be established,” he held.

He further held that the prosecution did not file any charge against Aboubakar, who allegedly gave the N40 million gratification.

He, therefore, held that for its failure to call Aboubakar, the prosecution failed to prove the two-count charge against Ojuawo.

While discharging and acquitting the defendant, the judge ordered both the N40 million and the Range Rover vehicle be paid and returned to him immediately.

He said: “In conclusion, I hold that the prosecution has failed to prove the two-counts charge of corrupt gratification under Section 17 (1)(a) and (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. The defendant is discharged and acquitted on counts 1 and 2 of the charge.”

Guardianng 

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a banker Judith Nneka Nwagwu for alleged fraud.

She was docked before Justice D. A. Onyefulu of the Anambra State High Court in Onitsha, Anambra State.

Nwagwu faces a seven-count charge bordering on forgery and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N452,047,000.

The defendant allegedly obtained N192,000,000 from a complainant whom she was his account officer.

Nwagwu had claimed that the bank had $400,000 for sale at the rate of N480 per dollar.

Her employers petitioned the EFCC alleging that she forged two fixed deposit certificates and fraudulently obtained N260,047,000 from a customer under the guise of fixing the money for him.

In count 6 of the charge, Nwagwu, sometime in 2021 made a “false document titled ‘Malaexchio Global Limited’ with the value of N141,347,289”

The offence violates Section 436 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 36, Anambra and punishable under Section 444(3)(h) of the same law.

Nwagwu pleaded not guilty when the charges were read. Prosecution counsel Michal Ani requested a date for the commencement of trial.

Justice Onyefulu granted bail in the sum of N10million with a surety in like sum, who must be resident within the jurisdiction of court.

The judge adjourned the matter until May 11, 26 and June 8, 2022 for trial. Dailypost

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Osondu Victor Igwilo, a suspect wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) since 2018.

A statement on Monday by spokesman Wilson Uwujaren said Igwilo, 52, is the alleged leader of a criminal network of “catchers”.

He was caught alongside Okafor Nnamdi Chris, Nwodu Uchenna Emmanuel and John Anazo Achukwu at a studio in the Sangotedo area of Lagos.

They are accused of fraud, money laundering and identity theft to the tune of about $100millon.

The suspects allegedly perpetrated a scheme involving false promises of investment funding, impersonating United States bank officials in person and via the internet.

“Investigation revealed that those who fell victims of the suspects’ criminal activities were asked to make certain payments before they could receive their funding”, EFCC noted.

Proceeds were allegedly laundered through American bank accounts and diverted to the alleged culprits in Nigeria.

Igwilo was placed on the FBI watch list following a criminal complaint filed against him in the U.S. District Court, Houston, Texas, in December 2016.

“Following their arrest, five houses located in choice areas of Lagos were recovered from Igwilo. The suspects will soon be charged to court.” Uwujaren added. Dailypost 

An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ms Adewunmi Omotosho on Monday told an Ikeja Special Offences Court how alleged Access Bank hacker, Chris Ihebuzo was apprehended by the anti-graft agency.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ihebuzo in a video that went viral online claimed to have gained access into the bank’s database and extracted data of over 2,000 customers.

Led in evidence by EFCC Prosecuting Counsel, Mr Franklin Ofoma, the investigator told the court that the EFCC received a petition from Access Bank complaining about a viral video on social media where a hacker was bragging about how he had access to accounts of the bank.

Adewunmi, the second prosecution witness, said that when EFCC apprehended Ihebuzo, they recovered an HP Laptop, 12 blank ATM Master Cards, documents containing account numbers, phone numbers and Biometric Verification Number (BVN) of customers.

Ofoma submitted the materials to court while urging the judge to admit them into evidence.

Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe thereafter admitted all the seized materials and documents as exhibits.

Adewunmi in her evidence told the court that a forensic expert working in EFCC had given her team, the defendant’s name and address.

She said that all the documents seized from Ihebuzo were exclusively for the bank.

The EFCC investigator further told the court that after his arrest, the defendant volunteered his statement to the commission under caution.

NAN reports that Ihebuzo is facing a seven-count charge of stealing, demanding property by written threats, attempting to obtain property by false pretence and unauthorised access to computer material.

Other charges are: unauthorised access with intent to commit and facilitate the commission of further offences and unauthorised modification of computer materials.

The EFCC alleged that the defendant had sometime in August 2020 in Lagos with an intent to extort money from Access Bank Plc, knowingly sent an electronic mail to the bank’s management to demand money.

The defendant had claimed that he had in his possession, Access Bank Public Liability Company’s documents, containing the phone numbers, bank accounts, NIN numbers, and Biometrics Verification Numbers (BVN) of the bank’s customers.

The offences are contrary to Sections 21(5), 278(1) and (2), 285 (1), 312 (1)(a) and (2),385(1), 386(1), 387(1), 388(1) and 389 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

Justice Abike-Fadipe adjourned until Feb. 18 for continuation of trial. Theguardianng 

The Kogi State government on Sunday accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of implementing a hatchet job allegedly conceived by unnamed politicians with its latest statement that the government has returned N19.3 billion bail-out funds allegedly “hidden” by the state to the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The government gave the EFCC 48 hours ultimatum to retract the statement or be prepared for a court action.

The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, made the state government’s position known at a press conference in Lagos.

Fanwo claimed that the plan is to tarnish what he described as the rising political image of state governor, Yahaya Bello, adding describing it as “a hatchet job conceived by politicians and implemented by an irresponsible EFCC headed by Abdulrasheed Bawa.”

He said, “Let it be known that the Kogi State government refutes every bit of these false allegations being peddled by the EFCC.

“The Kogi State government had disbursed its bailout loans for the purpose of which it was granted as of October 2019.

“There is therefore no ‘hidden bailout funds/loan’ belonging to Kogi State that is capable of being returned to the CBN or frozen by an order of court.

“The EFCC knows this. The fear of exposure of its lies in court and the attendant sanctions informed its decision to hurriedly withdraw the sham suit it filed in court.

“Consequently, the Kogi State government demands a retraction of this most malicious press release and of all allegations of crimes levied against the government and its governor.

“We further demand an apology published within 48 hours from today in one national daily and on all EFCC official and social media platforms addressed to His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the Executive Governor of Kogi State and the entire government and people of Kogi State.” Punchng

Adewale Daniel Jayeoba has been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged investment scam.

The EFCC said Jayeoba, a native of Ori-Ade Local Government in Osun State, used to live at Suit 1004, Providence Centre, MKO Abiola Way, by NNPC Mega Station, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

“The public is hereby notified that Adewale Daniel Jayeoba of Wales Kingdom Capital is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the alleged case of an investment scam,” the anti-graft agency’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said on Monday.

DAILY POST reports that the commission had in June arrested Jayeoba’s parents, Emmanuel and Victoria Jayeoba for allegedly defrauding people in a N935million Ponzi scheme.

At the time, Uwujaren said the couple, in complicity with their son (still at large), “operated the scheme in the guise of forex trading.”

The couple was said to have been arrested at their residence in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

“They are parents to Adewale Daniel, Marketing Director, Wales Kingdom Capital Limited,” it was said at the time.

The father, Emmanuel, was described as a Director in Wales Kingdom Capital; operating about five bank accounts with which he had allegedly received N18,397,913 before he was arrested.

The mother, Victoria, had six bank accounts through which she reportedly received up to N916,607,715.

The EFCC urged anybody with useful information about the wanted man’s whereabouts to contact any of its offices across the nation.

 Dailypost