Tag: efcc

Five suspected internet fraudsters have been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Lagos.

The suspects were identified as Tamaraemi Akpoviri, Jonathan Oshioke Okhumode, Jordan O. Clifford, Okorie J. Christian and Enabule Peace Osaro.

They were arrested during a sting operation at the Buena Vista Estate, Orchid Road, Lekki area of Lagos State, following an intelligence report on the activities of some individuals suspected to be internet fraudsters in the area.

Items recovered from the suspects at the point of arrest include exotic cars, mobile devices and laptop computers.

The Commission added that suspects will be charged to court once investigations are concluded.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed that it would be going after some outgoing governors and other public officials accused of corruption after they leave office on May 29.

EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa disclosed this in an interview with Daily Trust. He told the publication that some arrests would be made immediately after May 29.

Bawa who did not give names or the number of public officials that would be brought under the law, also disclosed that at least two ministries are currently under the radar of the commission for fraudulent activities that border on procurement processes.

One of the ministries allegedly committed fraud on about 20 contracts to the tune of N4 billion. Bawa said;

“Currently, we’re investigating two ministries where double payments were made. In one of the ministries, the double payments, cumulatively, were about 20 contracts of over N4bn.

“These were contracts that were done way back 2018, and then some group of people, so bold, came up with the same narration.

Due to President Buhari’s directives about the old N500 and N1000 no longer being considered legal tenders, depositors rushed to the Central Bank Of Nigeria, CBN to deposit their old notes.

Following the massive crowd at CBN, the anti-corruption agencies at the Ilorin branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria, have decided to scrutinize depositors with questionable funds.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC among others are on ground to monitor lodgments and educate depositors on the implications involved in depositing millions of naira with questionable sources.

Depositors, suspected to be fronting for politicians to lodge money on their behalf, are educated by the anti-graft agencies on their actions.

Security sources at the CBN branch told Dailypos: “Depositors of millions of naira will have to approach their various commercial banks after one month when the investigation into their sources of money would have been concluded.

“The action followed suspicion that some politicians are using people as fronts to lodge money in millions on their behalf as a result of the ongoing new naira swap.”

Officials of the CBN worked on Saturday and Sunday to meet the requests of depositors in Ilorin.

It was  further learnt that sharp practices have been alleged by external officials involved in the exercise as depositors of millions of naira allegedly bribe their way with at least N10,000 to ensure easy processing for their lodgments.

Depositors have to go through three or four stages before counting and final judgment, an official of the bank who requested anonymity disclosed.

He said: “Some depositors stand to forfeit their lodgments if, eventually, they could not give a proper account of their sources of income after investigation by the anti-graft agencies.”

As observed on Sunday, some of the depositors that thronged the CBN arrived with sacks of naira notes to deposit as directed by the apex bank.

Abdulrasheed Bawa, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has been ordered to be arrested and held without bail by the Kogi State High Court.

The court ordered that Bawa be remanded in Kuje prison for disobeying a court order.

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Justice Rukayat Ayoola in his judgment on Monday, February 6, also directed the Inspector General of Police to ensure compliance because the EFCC boss committed contempt of court.

The judge ruled that Bawa should be remanded for the next 14 days for disobeying a court ruling delivered on November 30, 2022, wherein he was directed to produce the applicant in a case, Ali Bello.

Counsel to the applicant, Sumaila Abbas, had dragged Bawa to court for arresting and detaining Ali Bello illegally, with the court ruling in his favor, only for the EFCC to arraign him for alleged money laundering three days after the ruling.

But, EFCC’s applications for setting aside and staying off the execution of the ruling were refused for want of merit.

Recall that an Abuja High Court sitting in Maitama inNovember 2022 convicted Bawa for contempt of court.