EFCC Archives | Page 8 of 10

Nigeria Immigration confirms Bobrisky’s arrest

Fola Badmus11 months ago11 months ago01 mins

The Nigeria Immigration Service has confirmed the arrest of Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, at the Seme border while he was attempting to leave the country. In a statement issued by DCI KT Udo Service Public Relations Officer. “In keeping with its commitment to securing the borders, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) intercepted Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju otherwise known as Bobrisky at the Seme Border over an attempt to Exit the Country. “The Service wishes to inform the public that OKUNEYE IDRIS is a person of interest over recent issues of public concern. He is undergoing interrogation and will be handed over to the appropriate Authorities for further action. “The Service assures the public that it will continue to be civil and professional in its statutory responsibility of manning the Country’s Borders.”

EFCC, NAPTIP join forces against money laundering

Fola Badmus11 months ago11 months ago05 mins

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede has expressed the readiness of the Commission to work closely with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, in order to tackle the scourge of Money Laundering more fiercely. He gave this indication in Abuja when the Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello Adamu, led the management team of the agency on a courtesy visit to Olukoyede at the corporate headquarters of the Commission. The EFCC’s boss explained that there was a strong linkage between human trafficking and money laundering and that all efforts should be made to confront and conquer the two crimes together. “There’s a very strong nexus between human trafficking and money laundering. Wherever human trafficking takes place, there will definitely be money laundering, so that makes it necessary for us to work together,” he said. While assuring NAPTIP of EFCC’s support, he pledged the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that the relationship is further strengthened for optimal outcomes, noting that NAPTIP plays a critical role in Nigeria’s economic development and good international image. “Even though there’s an existing relationship, the essence of enhanced collaboration is to strengthen it and take it to a higher level. So, we will always be willing to collaborate with you, especially in areas like joint investigation, public awareness, resource mobilization, and manpower development as you have requested. The mandate of your agency is critical to our economic development and in giving a good international reputation to our country. So we will always be willing to support and to collaborate with you,” he said. Earlier in her remark, Bello pointed out that “the key points for this visit today are to seek collaboration on joint investigation, cybercrime and online trafficking investigation because this kind of crime involves a lot of finances, intelligence sharing, and capacity building, public awareness, and resource mobilization. I need all the support that will make us succeed in this fight so as to curtail the menace of human trafficking and violence against persons to the barest minimum,” she said. She noted that NAPTIP has been working closely with the EFCC since its inception, adding that “because of that, we think it is very important to come and present ourselves again before the Executive Chairman, particularly regarding the fight against human trafficking.” She recalled that the landmark conviction her agency got in 2022, involving a transnational human trafficking syndicate operating between Nigeria and European countries was achieved through a robust collaboration with the EFCC, adding that “Previous joint efforts also yielded notable results, such as the 2021 rescue operation that liberated 500 human trafficking victims from Libya, Europe, and the Middle East, and the 2020 partnership that resulted in the arrest of several traffickers and the recovery of over N100 million illicit funds.”

Yahaya Bello hiding in Kogi’s government house kitchen -Dino Melaye

Fola Badmus12 months ago12 months ago03 mins

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in 2023 Kogi State Governorship elections, Senator Dino Melaye has accused former Governor Yahaya Bello of hiding in the state’s government house kitchen to evade arrest by EFCC. An elated Senator, who was reacting to his legal victory after six years, made this revelation on his X handle on Tuesday. Melaye wrote; “After 6 years of legal battle with the Federal Government and IGP on 12 different frivolous cases, just to silence me and drown my voice. “The last of the 12 cases was decided yesterday and I won it just like the other 11 before it. I was humiliated and detained 436 days between 2017 and 2019. “Truth will always remain constant and for me it is a no retreat,no surrender situation. I will continue to speak the truth despite all odds. “In an unjust society, silence is crime. Truth have no volume. “I was humiliated and escaped 4 assassination attempts, to the glory of God, I am here today bouncing and making progress. “No amount of threat, arrest or humiliation will break Dino because if you speak the truth, you will die,if you lie you will die, it is better to speak the truth and die. “Bello, (Yahaya) who instigated these charges is a hunter, who has now become the hunted, hiding inside his successor’s agbada or taking cover in the coven and the oven of Government House kitchen, to escape arrest. “This is what it means to be law-abiding. When your innocence is questioned, be available to prove your innocence. “When you evade common invitation, resist arrest, or refuse to appear in court, you have pronounced yourself guilty! “Truly, the guilty is afraid. “Bello should do the right thing by showing up to explain how N110B moved from the state coffers to his pocket. That is the definition of good citizenship.”

Bobrisky: I charge $100,000 for influencing

Fola Badmus12 months ago12 months ago03 mins

Popular Nigerian crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, has revealed that he charges the sim of $100,000 for influencing on social media platforms. This, according to him, was one of his genuine sources of wealth contrary to people’s belief that he’s into money laundering and fraudulent acts. This was contained in a video posted by controversial social media critic, Martin Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan on Monday, October 7, 20204. According to VDM, the call recording was made on May 16, 2024. “All the money I have is genuine and the sources are like most of my influencing [sic], like that day I called you that one woman wanted to pay me £10,000, you know I told you that it’s for influencing. “So, people don’t know how I charge a lot of money for influencing but I made them understand I charge as far as $100,000 to influence,” Bobrisky allegedly said in a recorded voice call with a male contact whose name remains unknown. The crossdresser who was convicted for mutilating the naira in April and sentenced to six months in jail, noted that he had access to his mobile phone while in custody. The male contact had initially asked if Bobrisky was out of prison before he responded in the negative, then he said he hadn’t been talking to people over the phone. “People have been sending me so many messages but I’ve not been responding because I don’t want anybody to know that I have my phone. I only want to talk to somebody that I know I can trust. “So if you think you cannot do it, all fingers are equal. Some others do it and trust me, God blessed the hustle. Obviously, I met a very terrible judge who wasn’t fair at all,” he added.

EFCC arrests 33 Suspected Internet Fraudsters, fake dollars in Port Harcourt

Fola Badmus12 months ago12 months ago01 mins

Operatives of the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, have arrested 33 (Thirty-Three) suspected internet fraudsters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. They were arrested in their hideouts around Iwofe and Ogboro axes of Port Harcourt in a sting operation, based on credible intelligence on their suspected involvement in internet fraud. Items recovered from the suspects include various mobile phone devices, laptops, boxes of fake United States Dollars, fake Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI stamps, Customs stamps, airport clearance stamps, DHL and FedEx stamps and two cars. The suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

EFCC arrests 21 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Yola

Fola Badmus12 months ago12 months ago01 mins

Operatives of the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 21 (Twenty-One) suspected internet fraudsters in Yola, Adamawa state. They were arrested on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at different locations around Modobo Adamawa University, Yola. Items recovered at the points of arrest include 13 phones, 12 Android phones, one laptop and one tablet phone. The suspects would soon be charged to court.

Money laundering charges against Bobrisky were dropped lawfully – EFCC

Fola Badmus12 months ago12 months ago05 mins

A Prosecutor with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Bilikisu Bala on Monday, September 30, 2024, told a Joint Committee of the House of Representatives investigating allegations of corruption against some officers of the Commission, and the Nigeria Correctional Service that charges of money laundering dropped in the trial of Idris Okuneye (a.k.a Bobrisky) were lawful and in compliance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA. Bala, head of the prosecution team that handled the trial of Okuneye pointed out to the Committee that the charges were dropped based on the disclosure of the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML, that Okunenye’s firm, Bob Express, was not a Designated Non Financial Institution, Business and Profession, DNFIBP, and could not be prosecuted for flouting provisions of the Money Laundering Prevention & Prohibition Act, 2022. “We initially raised six count charges bordering on Naira Abuse and Money Laundering against Okuneye based on his confessional statement that his firm, Bob Express, was not registered with SCUML and was not rendering returns to it. Counts 1-4 were on Naira Abuse while counts five and six were on money laundering. Okuneye’s confession that he didn’t register his firm, Bob Express with SCUML and not rendering returns to it informed the money laundering charges initially included in the six count charges. However, when we wrote to SCUML on the status of the firm, the Unit responded that it was not a Designated Non-Financial Institution, Business and Profession, DNFIBP. We cannot lawfully sustain the charges in all sincerity. We, therefore dropped them and relied on the four counts on Naira mutilation to which Okuneye had pleaded guilty”, she said. The prosecutor dismissed claims of financial inducement in dropping charges maintaining that no such thing happened. “There is simply no basis for that. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, allows amendment of charges. It is a professional practice. It is laughable for anyone to attribute our decision to monetary issues. Why did we write to SCUML if we didn’t want to include the charges? We wrote to be lawfully guided and when the Unit responded that the firm had not breached any law, on what basis should we have retained the money laundering charges?”, she said. Bala, who appeared before the Committee with top management staff of the EFCC, charged the Committee to critically look into all the issues raised against the EFCC and make public its findings in the interest of justice. Chief of Staff to the EFCC’s Chairman, Commander of the EFCC, CE Michael Nzekwe who stood for the Chairman, Ola Olukoyede restated the seriousness the Commission attached to integrity of its staff. “We viewed the allegation of bribery against our officers seriously. Integrity is one of our core values. This is why we are here to place all the facts involved in the trial of Okuneye in the public domain”, he said. Okuneye, an ex-convict, had alleged in a viral video that he offered N15,000,000 (Fifteen Million Naira) as a bribe to some unnamed EFCC officers to drop money laundering charges against him.

EFCC arraigns Ex-Taraba Gov Ishaku, Perm Sec for alleged N27b Fraud

Fola Badmus12 months ago12 months ago04 mins

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, September 30, 2024, arraigned former governor of Taraba State, Darius Dickson Ishaku and former permanent secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Bello Yero, before Justice S. C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja for fraud. Both are being prosecuted on a 15-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds in the state to the tune of N27,000,000,000.00 (Twenty Seven Billion Naira). One of the charges reads: “That you Darius Dickson Ishaku whilst being the governor of Taraba State and Bello Yero whilst being the Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State between July, 2015 and May, 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N1,138,082,097.71 (One Billion, One Hundred and Thirty-Eight Million, Eighty-Two Thousand, Ninety- Seven Naira, Seventy-One Kobo), which sum formed part of the 2.5% contingency fund belonging to Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property, when you dishonestly diverted the said sum to your own use and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under the same section.” Another reads: “That you Darius Dickson Ishaku whilst being the governor of Taraba State and Bello Yero, whilst being the Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State between July, 2015 and May, 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly misappropriated certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N1,138,082,097.71 (One Billion, One Hundred and Thirty-Eight Million, Eighty-Two Thousand, Ninety-Seven Naira, Seventy-One Kobo, which sum formed part of the 2.5% contingency fund belonging to Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Act.” They pled “not guilty” when all the charges were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN to ask the court for a trial date as well as accelerated hearing on the matter, while Paul Haris Ogbole, SAN and Oluwa Damilola Kayode, counsel to Ishaku and Yero respectively made oral bail applications which Jacobs opposed, insisting on formal applications. Justice Oriji, adjourned the matter till Thursday, October 3, for hearing on bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded in EFCC’s custody. Both defendants were arrested on September 27, 2024.