Tag: EFCC

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 Bellos 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 newspapers 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 YarAdua 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 Commissions headquarters in Abuja. The Zamfara Alternative Forum yesterday, stormed the EFCC Headquarters in protest, urging…

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Betta Edu: EFCC quizzes Zenith, Providus, Jaiz banks CEOs

Aminu Imam

The Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Zenith, Providus, and Jaiz banks have been apprehended by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), in connection with financial misappropriation and fraud linked to disgraced Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, and her predecessor, Sadiyya Umar-Farouk. The banking executives, who have been under stealth scrutiny since the public outcry over the unscrupulous diversion of public funds into private accounts, are now in EFCC custody, multiple credible sources within the Presidency. It was gathered that the senior back executives were quizzed…

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Alleged N585m Scandal: President Tinubu wields the big stick, suspends Betta Edu

Aminu Imam

…Orders EFCC to investigate her President Bola Tinubu has suspended the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect. The directive, according to the statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, was in line with his avowed commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians. The statement said, The President further directs the Executive Chairman of the  EFCC to conduct a thorough investigation into all…

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Alleged N37.1bn fraud: EFCC detains Buharis ex-humanitarian affairs minister, Sadiyya

Aminu Imam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiyya Umar-Farouq, for questioning over allegations of corruption in the handling of N37.1 billion social intervention funds during her tenure. Mrs. Umar-Farouq arrived at the headquarters of the Commission in Abuja to honour an earlier invitation over the pending case yesterday morning. She posted via her X handle at 10.17 a.m. on Monday that she had just arrived at the commissions office. I have, at my behest, arrived at the…

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EmefieleInvestigation: 20 banks, other companies face EFCC probe over forex deals

Aminu Imam

…Inquiry to cover 9-yr period The probe instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the use of foreign exchange by some companies and financial institutions under the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele is to be spread to at least 20 banks, sources close to the commission have said. VoL was reliably informed, at the weekend, that the probe, which has seen operatives storm corporate offices of Dangote Group and some others would be extended to at least 20 commercial banks, while…

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