Tag: EFCC

Alleged N84bn fraud: EFCC obtains arrest warrant for Yahaya Bello

Aminu Imam
EFCC Yahaya Bello

…Operatives storm ex-gov’s Abuja home The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission yesterday was granted a warrant by a Federal High Court in Abuja to apprehend Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State. The warrant was issued following an ex-parte motion filed by the EFCC. In his ruling on the Motion, Justice Emeka Nwite also directed that the former governor be produced before him today, Thursday, for arraignment. ?This is coming as the EFCC operatives yesterday stormed the Abuja home of former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, located in…

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Naira abuse: EFCC to arraign Cubana Chief Priest today

Aminu Imam
EFCC Cubana

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), has filed a three-count charge against the nightlife promoter, Cubana Chief Priest, for alleged abuse of the Nigerian currency, the Naira. Cubana, born Pascal Okechukwu, is accused of spraying and tampering with the Naira at a social event — contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act of 2007. The counts against the Instagram celebrity reads: “that you, Okechukwu Pascal on 13th Feb. 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event,…

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Edu, Shehu: EFCC recovers ?30bn, probes 50 bank accounts

Aminu Imam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), says it has recovered N30 billion for the Federal Government, and is currently probing 50 bank accounts relating to the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, and the former CEO of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, (NSIPA), Halima Shehu. The Commission’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede,, who disclosed this yesterday, also revealed that progress was being made in the investigation, while highlighting the seriousness of the case and urged Nigerians to be patient. He said, “We have laws and…

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Malabu OPL 245 alleged fraud:EFCC sacks top prosecutor accused of taking bribes

Aminu Imam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), has parted ways with one of its top prosecutors amid a sprawling probe into how a high-profile case was bungled last month. The anti-corruption office received a severe reprimand from a federal judge last week, during a verdict on the criminal bribery case involving former Attorney-General, Bello Adoke, the proprietors of Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd, and multinational giants Eni and Shell. Justice Abubakar Kutigi threw out the case, which the EFCC first filed in 2020 before the High Court of the Federal…

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Detained Binance executive drags EFCC, NSA to court

Aminu Imam

The detained Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan, has accused the National Security Adviser, (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), of violating his fundamental human rights. Gambaryan, in an originating motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/356/24 sought a declaration that his detention and seizure of his international travel passport, contravened Section 35 (1) and (4) of 1999 Constitution. He urged the court to order the NSA and the EFCC to release him from their custody and return his international travel passport with immediate effect. Gambaryan also sought an order of perpetual…

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Alleged N84bn Money Laundering: EFCC files charges against Yahaya Bello, others

Aminu Imam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), yesterday, dragged former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, for alleged N84 billion money laundering offences, alongside his nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Sulaiman and AbdulSalam Hudu. The EFCC is prosecuting the quartet on an amended 17-count charge of money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of fund to tune of N84, 062,406,089.88. To make way for Yahaya Bello’s inclusion in the trial, Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, (SAN), informed the court of an application…

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Northern elders condemn alleged moves to use EFCC as vendetta tool against perceived corrupt ex-Govs. 

Aminu Imam

Elders from the North have expressed dismay over alleged moves to revive charges against some former Governors of Northern extraction using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC). The elders, who met in Kaduna at the weekend, stated their position while reading the communique of their 2 day meeting to newsmen yesterday.  Chairman of the Communique Drafting Committee,  Yusuf Abubakar, on behalf of the Northern Elders Progressive Forum and Northern Professionals, took exception to  a  recent newspaper’s publication, titled: “EFCC revives 13 ex-govs N772bn fraud cases”, saying: “we think that…

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Alleged Fraud: EFCC arrests ex-minister over N3.6bn loan

Aminu Imam

…Grills Federal Character Commission Chair The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has arrested a former Minister of Commerce and Industry, Charles Ugwu, for alleged conspiracy and loan fraud to the tune of N3.6 billion. Recall that Ugwu was appointed minister by late President Umaru Yar’Adua and was sacked after a cabinet reshuffle that affected 19 other ministers. According to a statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the commission, Dele Oyewale, on Monday, the ex-minister was arrested with Chief Geoffrey Ekenma on January 11, 2024, at No.2,…

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“Era of freezing accounts containing proceeds of fraud over” – EFCC Chairman

Aminu Imam

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, says the era of placing ‘Post-No-Debit’ (freezing) on individual and companies’ accounts is over. The Chairman said this when the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria, (SMEDAN) paid him a courtesy visit at the EFCC headquarters, Abuja. According to Olukoyede, the Commission will separate proceeds of crime from legitimate funds to allow businesses to grow in the country.He said: “Businesses, as growing concerns, have to grow. We have to allow them to grow. These are people having…

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N70bn Zamfara Govt. fraud: EFCC to revisit case against Bello Matawalle

Aminu Imam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it will, under the present leadership, revisit N70 billion money laundering case against former Zamfara State Governor, and Minister of State Defence. The Commission specifically said all high-profile cases left behind by the former EFCC chairman, Bello Matawalle, have been reviewed. EFCC Acting Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed this yesterday, when a group, under the aegis of Zamfara Alternative Forum (ZAF) protested at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja. The Zamfara Alternative Forum yesterday, stormed the EFCC Headquarters in protest, urging…

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