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Probe El-Rufai Over Links To Insecurity, Corruption – Deji Adeyanju To DSS, EFCC

Civil rights activist and lawyer Deji Adeyanju has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai over allegations of corruption and questions surrounding his handling of insecurity during his tenure.

In a statement on Thursday, Adeyanju urged the anti-corruption agency and the intelligence service to act with fairness and independence.

According to him, accountability must apply to all public officials, past or present.

He described as “strange”, the assertions of political persecution allegedly advanced by El-Rufai, arguing that the former governor’s tenure was frequently criticized for suppressing opposing voices.

Adeyanju claimed that multiple critics among them activists, clerics and political commentators, allegedly faced detention, harassment, or intimidation during that period.

He further asked the DSS to investigate purportedly contentious security strategies linked to El-Rufai’s administration, including allegations that financial inducements were given to violent groups.

According to him, such claims raise profound national security concerns and warrant a comprehensive investigation.

Adeyanju said: “I call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately investigate former Governor Nasir El-Rufai over allegations of corruption and his handling of insecurity during his time in office. No one should be above the law.

“If there are questions about financial misconduct or abuse of office, he must give a full account, and the relevant agencies must not succumb to any form of blackmail or intimidation.

“It is strange to hear claims of political persecution from a man whose administration was repeatedly accused of silencing critics.

“Several individuals who spoke against his government, including activists, religious leaders, and public commentators, were reportedly arrested, harassed, or intimidated.

“The unresolved disappearance of one of his prominent critics, who was abducted in front of his family, remains a painful reminder of that era and must not be forgotten.

“Furthermore, the DSS should investigate reported claims that his government engaged in controversial security arrangements, including allegations that payments were made to violent actors.”

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BREAKING: Judge Withdraws From EFCC Case Against Ex-AGF, Abubakar Malami

On Thursday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Abuja Federal High Court recused himself from two cases filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

The judge, recently reassigned to the cases by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, cited personal reasons and the need to uphold the interest of justice for his decision to withdraw.

The development came as a civil suit seeking the forfeiture of 57 properties allegedly linked to Malami was called for mention in court.

The cases were initially handled by Justice Emeka Nwite, who served as a vacation judge during the Christmas period.

Malami is also being prosecuted by the Federal Government, through the Department of State Services, DSS, for alleged terrorism financing.

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Court Jails Two Chinese 46 Years Each For N3.4bn, $2.5m Cyberterrorism And Internet Fraud In Lagos

Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals, Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu, to 46 years in prison each for cyberterrorism and internet fraud.

In a statement released, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, said the convicts  alongside one Friday Audu were among a syndicate of 792  fraudsters arrested for cryptocurrency,  investment and romance fraud  on December 19, 2024 in Lagos in a surprise operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” by EFCC operatives.

The agency said investigations revealed that Friday allegedly incorporated Genting International Co. Ltd. on the directive of Huang Haoyu to facilitate the fraudulent scheme. The defendants were found to have procured and employed Nigerian youths to falsely represent themselves as foreign nationals for the purpose of defrauding unsuspecting victims through online platforms.

They were subsequently arraigned alongside a company, Genting International Co. Ltd., by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a seven- count charge bordering on cyber-terrorism, internet fraud and money laundering to the tune of N3,407,824,740.78 (Three Billion, Four Hundred and Seven Million, Eight Hundred Twenty-Four Thousand, Seven Hundred and Forty  Naira, Seventy Eight kobo), and $2,562,203 ( Two Million, Five Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand, Two Hundred and Three United States Dollars).

One of the counts reads: “That you, Huang Haoyu, a.k.a Ken, Audu Friday, An Hongxu, Duliang Pan (at large) and Genting International Co. Ltd,  sometime in 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, conspired to willfully cause to be accessed, computer systems organised to seriously destabilise the economic and social structure of Nigeria (which prohibits and prevents cyber and related crimes) when you, with intent to gain a financial advantage for yourselves and cronies, procured and or employed Nigerian youths to falsely represent themselves as persons of foreign nationalities, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024) and punishable under Section 18 of the same Act”.

They initially pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against them.

At the resumed sitting on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, counsel to the first and third defendants,  Bridget Omateno, informed the court that the defendants would like to change their pleas from “not guilty” to “guilty.”

When the charges were re-read to them, both Haoyu and Hongxu pleaded “guilty” to the charges filed against them, while Audu maintained his plea of “not guilty.”

Following the guilty pleas of both Haoyu and Hongxu, who are directors in the company, the prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Bala- Buhari stated that the prosecution had earlier called two witnesses before the change of plea.

She urged the court to impose the maximum punishment of life imprisonment on counts 1, 2 and 3, and 14 years’ imprisonment on counts 4 to 7.

The prosecution also prayed the court to order the forfeiture of all items recovered during investigation from the four properties listed in the charge (Items 1–135) to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The items include 1,596 mobile phones, 2,120 office chairs, 544 office tables, 194 routers, 43 computer systems, a network server, 126 air-conditioning units, several generators and vehicles, hundreds of mattresses and bunk beds, thousands of SIM cards across different networks, and numerous other electronic devices and household items recovered from premises at No. 7 Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island; Plot 1220 Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria Island; 54A A.J. Marinho Drive, Victoria Island; and No. 14A Modupe Alakija Crescent, Ikoyi.

Delivering judgment, Justice Osiagor convicted and sentenced the first and third defendants to a cumulative term of 46 years’ imprisonment each,  with an option of fine of N56,000,000 (Fifty-Six Million Naira).

The court  also ordered that they undertake three days of community service and be repatriated after serving their sentences and completing the community service.

The matter was adjourned till April 29, 2026 for the continuation of trial involving Audu Friday, who maintained his not guilty plea.

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EFCC Arrests Nigerian Actress, Samha Inuwa For Alleged Naira Mutilation

Samha Inuwa, a popular Kannywood actress, has been arrested and detained by the EFCC over an alleged abuse of the naira.

Inuwa was taken into custody by operatives of the EFCC’s Kano Zonal Directorate on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.

The arrest followed the circulation of a viral video on social media in which the actress was seen using Naira notes to wipe mucus from her nose.

Confirming the development in a statement, the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the video prompted swift action from the Commission.

According to Oyewale, EFCC operatives tracked the actress after the video went viral and subsequently arrested her for questioning in connection with the alleged currency mutilation.

He disclosed that Inuwa is currently being detained at the Commission’s facility as investigations continue.

Oyewale added that the actress would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.

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I Am Ready To Defend Myself – Ex-AGF, Malami Accuses DSS, EFCC Of Violating His Rights

Abubakar Malami (SAN), a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has accused security agencies of actions said to be aimed at frustrating his constitutional right to fair hearing and effective legal defence.

In a statement issued on Saturday morning by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, Malami’s office expressed concern over what it described as a pattern of conduct by state agencies following charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to the statement, although the Federal High Court granted Malami bail, the EFCC allegedly delayed the submission of his international passports to the court for about one week, despite the passports being a key condition for the perfection of bail.

The office claimed that the delay prolonged Malami’s detention and obstructed the execution of what it described as a valid court order.

The statement further alleged that immediately after Malami perfected his bail and was released from the Kuje Custodial Centre, he was rearrested by the Department of State Services (DSS).

According to his aides, Malami was detained for five days without access to his lawyers or family members and was only allowed to meet his legal team on Friday after what they described as prolonged isolation.

The office described the detention as a violation of his fundamental human rights.

Malami’s camp said the detention occurred at a critical stage when he was required to prepare his defence in an EFCC interim forfeiture proceeding before the Federal High Court.

It argued that denying him access to legal counsel during this period impaired his ability to consult with his lawyers, prepare court filings and give instructions.

“This amounted to a clear frustration of due process,” the statement said.

The statement alleged that the sequence of events suggested a pattern where arrest precedes investigation, with evidence sought after detention.

It claimed that such an approach violated the rule of law and constitutionally guaranteed rights, accusing the DSS of adopting similar practices.

Malami’s office stressed that bail granted by a court must be respected, warning that no agency should undermine judicial orders through what it described as coordinated delays, rearrests or denial of access to legal representation.

“Mr. Malami remains ready to defend himself fully in court and in accordance with the law, and calls on all state institutions to respect court orders, constitutional guarantees, and the rule of law,” the statement added.

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Allow My Name To Rest In Peace – Mompha Blows Hot As EFCC Arraigns Associate Over Alleged ₦206m Fraud

Social media influencer Ismail Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha, has criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the mention of his name in the arraignment of his associate.

The EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, arraigned one Sarumi Samusudeen Babafemi for an alleged ₦206,000,000 (Two Hundred and Six Million Naira) fraud before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.

Babafemi alongside his companies, 606 Autos Limited, 606 Music Limited, and Splash Off Entertainment Limited, were arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, concealment, and transfer of proceeds of crime to the tune of ₦206,000,000 (Two Hundred and Six Million Naira), contrary to Section 332(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, and punishable under Section 332(3) of the same law.

According to the EFCC, Babafemi is an associate of Ismaila Mustapha, a.k.a Mompha, a Nigerian social media celebrity known for flaunting luxury lifestyles and currently embroiled in a high-profile money laundering trial with the EFCC.

Reacting to the development, Mompha, in a post via Instagram, described EFCC as the most useless and corrupt Nigerian government agency.

Mompha questioned why his name was involved in the case, adding that the EFCC had attempted to extradite him from Dubai, but they failed.

He said, “The most useless and corrupt Nigeria Government Agency award goes to @officialefcc. Must you put my name in Every useless Case.

“Allow my name to Rest in peace. You already try to extradite me from dubai and you failed. leave me alone.”

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Alleged $4.5bn Fraud: EFCC Pressured My Client To Implicate Emefiele – Lawyer Alleges

Mr. Nnamdi Offial, counsel to the second defendant, Henry Omoile, in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele, on Thursday accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of pressuring his client to implicate the former apex bank chief.

Offial made the claim while testifying in a trial-within-trial, which Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court ordered to determine whether Omoile’s statement to the EFCC was made voluntarily.

He alleged that EFCC investigators offered multiple promises to Omoile, including bail and the possibility of avoiding charges, if he cooperated by providing incriminating information against Emefiele.

Emefiele and Omoile are facing charges of accepting gratification, receiving gifts through agents, corruption, and fraudulent receipt of property.

The EFCC also accused them of conferring corrupt advantage on associates, contrary to the Corrupt Practices Act, 2000. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty.

 

At the resumed hearing, Offial told the court that Omoile informed him that the head of the EFCC interrogation team assured him of leniency if he implicated the first defendant.

 

He added that the interrogation was conducted in a question-and-answer format, where his client had to respond “satisfactorily” before being allowed to write down his answers.

“On several occasions, questions were put to the second defendant and he answered, but he was not allowed to write them down because the answers did not conform to what the interrogators wanted him to say. I objected to this many times,” Offial said.

He further recounted that the session on February 26, 2024, ended with investigators informing him that Omoile would be detained because they were not finished with him.

Offial also described an incident on February 27, 2024, when he questioned why his client was being interrogated in his absence.

This, he claimed, led to a confrontation with one of the officers, identified as Davide, who allegedly ordered him out of the premises.

“I reported the incident to the head of the team, who advised me not to worry and to sit in the waiting area. I was not allowed to render services to my client until about 8pm, when he was taken back to the detention centre,” he said.

He later learned that Omoile was being detained for refusing to cooperate, which prompted him to apply for bail from the EFCC zonal head.

Offial said his client spent 21 days in detention before filing a fundamental rights enforcement suit at the Federal High Court, Lagos, where Justice Muslim Hassan granted bail but ordered that Omoile be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre until bail conditions were perfected.

Under cross-examination by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Offial admitted that Omoile had been cautioned in his presence and that he signed the caution.

He also acknowledged that he participated in the statement-taking process and was aware that whatever his client wrote could be used against him in court.

The defence witness further admitted that he did not file any petition against the EFCC over the investigators’ alleged conduct, and that the Federal High Court did not find the commission guilty of any misconduct in the fundamental rights suit.

He also conceded that his client was not harassed in his presence during interrogation.

Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter to January 16 for the continuation of the trial-within-trial.

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Malami And Son To Remain In Kuje Prison Till January 7

Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, along with his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, will remain in Kuje Prison until January 7, when their bail applications are set to be decided.

Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Friday after taking arguments for and against the bail applications filed by Malami and his son, who are on trial over a N9 billion money laundering charge brought against them by the Federal Government.

Malami, his son and one Hajia Bashir Asabe, a staff of Ramadiya Property Limited, are to stay in the prison till January 7 when ruling in the bail applications would be delivered by the judge

Justice Emeka Nwite announced that he had several other matters to rule upon as a vacation judge, hence, will not be able to deliver the ruling until the date.

Joseph Daudu, SAN, argued the bail applications for the three defendants while Emmanuel Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, opposed the motion on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Malami and his co-defendants had pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on behalf of the Federal Government.

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Ex-AGF, Abubakar Malami, Two Others Begin Bail Battle On N9bn Corruption Charges

Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, will on Monday, December 2, begin a bail battle over the N9 billion corruption charges filed against them by the federal government.

Malami, his son and one Hajia Bashir Asabe, a staff of Ramadiya Property Limited currently in Kuje prison on remand, are expected to be brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja to resume the battle for bail from prison custody.

Justice Emeka Nwite had on Tuesday fixed today to hear their bail argument after their arraignment on 16-count money laundering offences.

Malami and his co-defendants had pleaded not guilty to all the charges as preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on behalf of the federal government.

At the Tuesday’s proceedings, Counsel to the three defendants, Joseph Daudu, SAN had argued oral bail application saying that having read the 16-counts charge and the law on the subject matter, it is a proper application to make orally adding that, the, “only condition where one needed a written application is where it is a capital offence.”

“The offences of money laundering are bailable offences. The charges are not complicated, they are bailable and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the court”, he said and urged the court to admit them to bail.

EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho SAN had vehemently opposed the oral application for the bail of the defendants, saying that Section 162 of Administration of Criminal Just Act ACJA listed factors to consider before exercising discretion on bail application.

“Those factors can only come into the court through affidavit evidence and to determine whether to grant bail or not, both the prosecution and the defense would be given the opportunity to state their facts and these facts belong to the witnesses,” he said.

Justice Nwite had in a ruling rejected the oral bail application and ordered both parties to appear before him today to argue written bail application.

The EFCC had arraigned the former AGF and the two others before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on a 16-count money laundering charge.

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BREAKING: Ex-AGF Malami, Son Plead Not Guilty To Money Laundering Charges

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, his son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and another individual have pleaded not guilty to a 16-count money laundering charge.

The defendants were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, facing allegations of unlawful acquisition and concealment of funds.

The trial is set to continue as the court considers the charges.

More details soon…

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