Economy

Magu Charges Nigerians on Constituency Project Monitoring

By Web News 742

The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, has charged Nigerians to monitor closely delivery of constituency projects embarked upon by their representatives at the legislative arm of government.

Mr Magu gave the advice in Ibadan while offering his goodwill message at a town hall meeting jointly organised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and National Orientation Agency (NOA).

Titled: My Project, My Constituency, the event was aimed at sensitizing Nigerians on the need to task their representatives, members of the National and State Houses of Assembly, on efficient project delivery, and also enlighten them on how to go about the task.

The EFCC boss, who was represented by the Head of Forensic Accounting and Financial Investigations Section (FAFIS) at the Commission’s Ibadan Zonal Office, Mr Olusegun Oloruntuyi, noted that the people must show interest in the process and quality of delivery of constituency projects to prevent misappropriation and other forms of abuse of public funds by their representatives.

While assuring the public of the EFCC’s commitment to its mandate of investigating, prosecuting and preventing economic and financial crimes in public and private sectors, Mr Magu insisted that winning the war against corruption is the country’s surest path to achieving the global sustainable development goals.

He applauded the organisers of the programme for its timeliness.

Sunday Ogunyemi

Crime

EFCC Nabs 42 in Ogun over Internet-Fraud

By Web News 1249

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Office on Friday, arrested 42 youngsters for alleged involvement in internet-related fraud.

The suspects, whose ages range between 18 and 33 years, were apprehended at different locations in Ilaro, Ogun State, following actionable intelligence earlier received on their alleged illegal activities.

The suspects are: Peter Fasuhan, Kareem Oladimeji, Adeleke Sodiq, Akinlolu Quadri, Popoola Lukeman, Faniyi Jamiu, Joseph Elijah, Idowu Afolabi, Laleye Olaoluwa, Olabode Olasunkanmi, Shoyola Joseph, Baura David, Janta Oluwafolabomi, Akintunde Wariz, Olukotun Abiodun, Kazeem Popoola, and Olaoye Akinyemi.

Others are: Adebanjo Olamide, Esiegbe Dare, Job Emmanuel, Idris Olarewaju, Bakare Sodiq, Popoola Waliu, Popoola Ibrahim, Balogun Tunde Daniel, Adegbite Richard, Owolabi Aderibigbe, Oniyide Benjamin, Sheye Oluwaseun, Enitan Babajide, Oguntayo Samud, Daramola Damilola, Adeniji Azeez, Shobola Adeolu, Odunbaku Tunde, Olamilekan Adedeji, Maja Toheeb, Giwa Olajide, Tolu Yusuf, Ashoregbabo Ayo and Adeosun Temitope.

Items recovered from them include eight exotic cars, mobile phones and laptops.

The EFCC said the indicted among them will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Sunday Ogunyemi

Crime

Deputy Registrar Bags 5 Year Jail Term

By Web News 1084

An Oyo State High Court has sentenced a former Deputy Registrar of the State Judiciary, Mutiat Adio to five years in prison for stealing.

Our judiciary correspondent, Sunday Ogunyemi who was at the court reports that this is the second time the suspect would be sentenced to prison having been jailed for seven years in 2018 for fraud.

The suspect was first sentenced to jail in 2018 for illegally selling a parcel of land worth nine point two million naira. 

It was gathered that towards the end of last administration in Oyo State, the former Governor Abiola Ajimobi reduced her sentence which fast-tracked her freedom.

Immediately after the freedom, a commercial bank, wrote a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, reporting another fraud the suspect, Mutiat Adio had committed in 2008.

According to the petition, the suspect then was the secretary of the State Judiciary Cooperative Society when the cooperative applied for a loan on behalf of the members. 

The loan was up to 90 million naira, but, unknown to the members, the suspect inflated various sums of money which they applied for. 

For example, a member, who applied for five hundred thousand naira was given five million and another who applied for three hundred thousand naira was given three million. 

When approached the suspect told them to return the excess to her bank which she diverted to personal use. 

According to the charge, the money paid back to her account was twenty-two million, three hundred and seventy-five thousand nine hundred and eleven naira. 

The prosecuting counsel, Dr Ben Ubi called nine witnesses including members of the cooperative society who applied for the loan, while defence counsel, Mr Olaniyi George, called four witnesses. 

The trial judge, Justice O. M. Olagunju said the prosecution had proved the case of stealing against the suspect beyond reasonable doubt, he said confessional statement and the second defendant witness also confirmed that the suspect diverted the returned fund to her personal account.  

Justice Olagunju also said the convict misled the bank to package the amount more than what the members applied for her own benefit. 

He described the act as pure criminality and found her guilty as charged.

Though the defense counsel, Mr Olaniyi George, appealed to the court to be liberal in sentencing her, being a former member of the judiciary in the state.

The prosecution urged the court to give the order for the convict to return the money to the victim of the fraud. 

Pronouncing the judgment, the trial judge, Justice Olagunju sentenced her for the second time, to five years in prison, without any option of fine and ordered her to return the money to Guarantee Trust Bank. 

In an interview, the prosecuting counsel, Dr Ben Ubi said the judgment was a signal to those who were in such habit.

However, the Defence counsel, Mr Olaniyi George said the judgment would be challenged at the Court of Appeal. 

The staff of Nigeria Correctional Center Oyo State Command were already at the court to receive their new guest before reporters left the court premises. Sunday Ogunyemi

Crime

EFCC Nabs Suspected Internet Fraudster with a Coffin

By Web News 660

A mini coffin suspected to contain fetish materials was found with a 38-year-old suspected internet fraudster, Azeez Adebowale, when operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, raided his house in Ibadan on Monday, March 2, 2020.

Adebowale, who claimed to be using the coffin as soap rack, was among the six persons arrested following weeks of piecing together intelligence tips received on their alleged involvement in internet fraud.

The suspects which included a lady, Toyinsola Bolumole, were picked up by men of the commission’s zonal office Ibadan around Oluyole and Alao-Akala Estates of the ancient city.

Others are Ifelowo Ololade, Sonuyi Ayodeji, Folarin Oladele Olayinka and Aluko Olawale.

Items recovered from them include four cars, various brands of sophisticated phones and an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card.

Sunday Ogunyemi

Crime

3 in EFCC Net For Defrauding Ibadan High Chief of N300m

By Web News 922

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Office, has arrested three persons – Babatunde Ologunja, Olusola Olaoye Babatunde and Olufemi Lawal – for allegedly duping the Otun-Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun.

The suspects and others still at large were accused of conspiring to dispossess the revered Ibadan High Chief of sums running to about N300m (Three Hundred Million Naira).

The suspects with the cars found in their possession

Balogun, who is next to the Olubadan in the Olubadan-In-Council hierarchy, was a Senator representing the Oyo South Senatorial District under the platform of the Alliance for Democracy in National Assembly between 1999 and 2003.

His younger brother, Dr. Kola Balogun, who currently sits in his former position in Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber, had written an emotional petition to the EFCC as “a concerned member of the Aliwo family”, seeking the commission’s intervention in smashing the syndicate and ensuring that members are made to pay for their alleged crime.

The younger Balogun feared that the High Chief may have been charmed by the suspected fraudsters as he was still unable to come to terms with the reality of his situation.

“This request became necessary because we believe strongly that the victim has been hypnotized, he is not in a position to admit it and his health condition is deteriorating,” the Senator stated in the petition.

Preliminary investigations into the allegations revealed that for the past four years, the suspects have consistently collected various sums of money from the High Chief.

The sums, according to findings, were not attached to any particular projects and no receipts were issued to indicate the existence of any genuine transactions between the parties.

As the time of their arrest, the syndicate had received about N300 million (Three Hundred Million Naira) through bank transfers from the Ibadan High Chief.

The commission has designated for possible forfeiture four vehicles and six landed properties traced to their alleged fraudulent activities.

The EFCC is still on the trail of their fugitive partners, as further investigations are underway.

Sunday Ogunyemi

Crime

NYSC, EFCC March against Corruption in Delta

By Web News 976

Members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, in Delta State numbering over one thousand have stormed strategic streets in Asaba, as part of a nationwide campaign against corruption organized by the NYSC in collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Oghenero Eghweree who witnessed the event for Radio Nigeria, reports that the corps members in full-service outfits left the Federal Secretariat in Asaba at 8:45 am, and marched through the popular Okpanam road in the sensitization walk against corruption.

His report.

Oghenero Eghweree

Crime

NYSC, EFFC Collaborate to Fight Corruption

By Web News 1263

The Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has joined other zonal offices of the commission across the nation to engage Nigerian youths in its campaign against corruption.

Our staff reporter reports that a walk against corruption, involving over five hundred members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC and staffers of the EFCC was held in Ibadan this morning.

The walk tagged “Nigerian Youths Walk Against Corruption” and “Nigerian Youths Say No To Corruption” started from the EFCC Zonal Office at Iyaganku Quarters through Dugbe-Oke-Bola and back to the zonal office.

Speaking with journalists, Oyo State Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Mrs. Josephine Obi said it was imperative to engage youths in the fight against corruption because most crimes, especially internet fraud were perpetrated by youths.

Similarly, the Acting Head, EFCC Ibadan Zonal Office, Mr. Igeleke Bright noted that the youths were leaders of tomorrow, hence the need to make them ambassadors of the anti-corruption campaign.

NYSC Oyo State Coordinator, Mrs. Eniola Anbekebo said the NYSC would continue to collaborate with EFCC and other relevant agencies to reduce corrupt practices to the barest minimum.

Oluwakayode Banjo

Crime

EFCC Arraigns Undergraduate for Alleged Scam

By Web News 685

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office has arraigned one Ebenezer Tobiloba Okunlola on a three-count charge bordering on false pretence, impersonation, possession of scam documents and obtaining money by false pretense.

Okunlola, who claimed to be a 300 level student of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), was arraigned before Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court 2, sitting in Osogbo, Osun State.

The accused was alleged to have attempted to defraud a U.S citizen named Kimmy Antley by obtaining lTunes gift cards worth of $750 (Seven hundred and fifty Dollars by falsely presenting himself as a white man with the name Ryan Dudely.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to him.

Consequently, the Prosecution Counse Mr Murtala Usman prayed the court for a trial date and an order to remand the accused in the correctional custody.

But the Defense Counsel, M. O Ademola, made an oral bail application, praying the court to admit his client to bail pending the determination of the charges filed against him.

The presiding judge granted the prayer with a bail in the sum of N10 million and one surety in like sum.

The surety, the judge held, must be a civil servant, a land owner residing within the jurisdiction of the court and must be related by blood to the defendant.

He also ordered that the accused to be remanded in the Nigeria correctional service’s custody pending the time he meets his bail condition.

The matter was adjourned to February 6, 2020.

Crime

EFCC Moves to Counter Vote Buying

By Web News 765

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says it will shift its operation to counter vote-buying.

The EFCC chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu stated this in Ibadan while speaking with newsmen.

Mr. Magu said the commission would face vote-buying to ensure that the menace was curbed in the country.

EFCC boss explained that nobody was expected to have more than twenty-five thousand naira at polling booth saying the fight against vote-buying would commence in some selected state where elections would be held.

Mr. Magu who frowned at the lack of cooperation from foreign partners said the commission would find all means possible to ensure that former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Allyson Madueke was repatriated to Nigeria.

Mr. Magu also solicited more support from the media to ensure a successful fight against corruption.

Sunday Ogunyemi

Crime

EFCC Arrests Five Undergraduates, Twelve Others for Alleged Internet Fraud

By Web News 1011

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Office, on Monday, October 7, 2019, arrested 17 suspected internet fraudsters among whom were five who claimed to be students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti.

The suspects were arrested in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, following meticulous consideration of intelligence reports detailing their alleged involvement in internet fraud and other related offenses. 

Hitherto, operatives of the commission in the zone had conducted preliminary investigations to ascertain the merits of the allegations against them. 

After establishing substantive facts, the EFCC sprang into action and effected the arrest on Monday.

While five of the suspects claimed to be students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, others said they were into various vocations.

Some items used in perpetrating the crime were recovered from them and registered as exhibits to be tendered in court.

The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Nafiu Busari

Crime

EFCC Declares Ex-CBN Staff Wanted

By Web News 854

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has declared a former staff of a commercial Bank, Mayowa Onabanjo wanted for his involvement in the over twelve-billion-Naira scam at the Ibadan Branch of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

A statement from Director of Public Affairs, EFCC Ibadan Zone Mr. Jide Jegede says the suspect who had been charged to court along others from CBN since 2015 jumped bail.

Mr. Jegede also debunked the rumour that about nine hundred million naira of mutilated naira notes, being the subject of prosecution at the Federal High Court, Ibadan, and kept in several boxes in EFCC’s custody had turned to paper.

He explained that the boxes of the mutilated naira noted were not in the custody of EFCC, saying there was no way the commission would tamper with the boxes.

It would be recalled that about thirty bankers were arrested in 2014 over the allegation of tampering with boxes containing various mutilated naira notes at the Ibadan branch of the CBN.

He said “In the course of investigations, EFCC operatives visited the CBN office in Ibadan to inspect the said boxes and discovered that the monies had been tampered with. This discovery was what informed the EFCC’s involvement in the case, resulting in interrogation of suspects and subsequent prosecution”.

“At no point were the boxes of the mutilated naira notes taken to the office of the EFCC”.

“At the last hearing, the court mandated the EFCC to present the boxes at the next hearing as evidence. This is a clear departure from the mischievous accounts of naysayers who erroneously misinterpreted the position of the court to claim that the boxes were tampered with by the EFCC!”

Mr. Jegede therefore urged members of the public to ignore such disinformation, saying it is only being spread to cause harm, unnecessary sensationalism and create doubt in the minds of citizens.  

The media is hereby advised to always seek clarifications on information before spreading fake news.

Sunday Ogunyemi

Crime

Court Remands Man over Alleged Thirty Million Naira Fraud

By Web News 877

Justice Patricia Ajoku of the Federal High Court 1 sitting Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has ordered that one Onifade Gideon Idowu be remanded in prison pending when a case of alleged fraud filed against him is decided.

The accused was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office, on Wednesday, October 2, 2019, on a five-count charge bordering on forgery, fake representation, obtaining money under false pretence and internet-related offences.

He was said to have explored the internet, through series of fake representations, to illegally receive over N30 million (Thirty Million Naira) and other sums in foreign currencies from victims of his fraudulent activities across the world.

One of the charges reads: “That you Onifade Gideon Idowu (a.k.a Melina Seekng, Melina Shelly James) sometime between the year 2017-2019 at Ibadan, Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court took possession of the sum of N30,000,000 (Thirty Million Naira) paid into your account with UBA Bank Plc with account number – 2091840941 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of wit: fraud, and  thereby committed an offence to  section 15 (2)(d) of the money laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

Due to the not-guilty plea, counsel to the EFCC, Murtala Usman, prayed the court for trial date and order to remand the accused person in prison custody.

The judge granted the prayer as he adjourned the case to November 4, 2019 for trial and/or plea bargain, and ordered that Onifade be remanded in the Agodi prison.

Nofiu Busari

Crime

EFCC Arrests Bank Sales Agent for Alleged Fraud

By Web News 824

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Office, has arrested one Kehinde Olumide Agbabiaka, a sales agent of Fidelity Bank Plc.

His arrest was sequel to a petition jointly signed by the bank’s Regional Security Officer and the Cluster Control and Compliance Manager, in which it was alleged that the suspect suppressed, diverted and stole a total sum of N137,000,000 (One Hundred and Thirty-Seven Million Naira) from personal and corporate accounts of a customer in Ibadan.

Filed on August 20, 2019, the petition alleged that Agbabiaka committed the offence between January 2017 and July 2019.

The suspect, who was the account officer attached to the customer, was said to be visiting the business premises of the victim weekly to collect cash with the understanding that he would remit same to his accounts domiciled in the bank’s Challenge, Ibadan branch.

But, instead of depositing the money, Agbabiaka was said to have at different times remitted only a portion and on many occasions diverted the whole sum to personal use.

In order to cover its criminal acts, the suspect, according to the petition, would rather issue fictitious bank slips to deceive the customer that he truly deposited the sums.

This continued until the customer reviewed the statement of his account and reconciled same with the cash collection register. It was then they discovered Agbabiaka’s fraudulent deeds, prompting the bank to put up the petition.

So far, the EFCC investigators have established a prima facie case of diversion and stealing against the suspect.

Further investigations also revealed that he had used the suppressed sums to build houses, purchase cars, invest in fixed deposits and insurance policies. He also gave part of the loot to people as friendly loans. 

Some of the items have been recovered and registered as exhibits.

The suspect will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Nofiu Busari