EFCC Presents Ninth and Final Witness against Suswam in Alleged N3.1b Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 presented the Ninth and last Prosecution Witness, PW9, Ape Sunday against the former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswan. The Commission is prosecuting Suswan alongside his then Commissioner of Finance, Omodachi Okolobia on amended 11-count charge, bordering on diversion of public funds to the tune of N3.1 billion (Three Billion, One Hundred Million) being part of the proceeds from the sale of the state government’s shares, held on its behalf by Benue Investment and Property Company Limited. During Wednesday proceedings, prosecuting counsel, A.O Atolagbe informed the court that the prosecution was presenting its ninth and the last of its witnesses, implying that it was closing its case with the testimony of the witness. The closing of its case with PW9 followed the inability of the 10th Prosecution Witness, PW10, Mrs Shiedu Awade to testify in court due to ill health. The Ninth Prosecution Witness, PW9, an investigator with the EFCC, while being led in evidence informed the court that PW10, a former cashier and executive officer of Benue Investment and property Ltd has been on admission in National Hospital, Abuja and that it was impossible for her to show up in court to testify due to the serious nature of her illness. In response to prosecution’s final presentation of witnesses, counsels to the first and second defendants C.E Ugbozor and Paul Erokoro, SAN, respectively informed the court that they will be filing “a no case submission” and requested that the judge grants them 14 days period to so, while prosecution counsel on his part requested the court to grant him 21days to enable him file his response to the defence’s “no case submission.” Justice Lifu adjourned the matter till June 24, 2025 for the adoption of the defence “no case submission.”

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Abuja Court Jails One for Internet Fraud

Justice A.I. Kutigi of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court Jabi Abuja, has convicted and sentenced Danji-Fari Ubadallah to two-months imprisonment for internet fraud. He was arraigned on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 on one-count charge bordering on internet fraud. The charge reads “That you, Danji-Fari Ubadallah sometime in 2024 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court cheated by personation when you created a Facebook account with the profile name Precious Rashel a United States of America citizen and under that assumed character obtained the sum of $50.00 (Fifty United States Dollars) from his victim one Rueben GI through a gift card and traded same with one Zhang Jie a Chinese citizen and received the Naira equivalent in your Opay account number 8100877271 under the false pretense that you are in a romantic relationship with him, a fact you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 324 of the same Law.” When the charge was read to him, he pleaded guilty to it, prompting prosecution counsel S.N. Robert to pray the judge to convict and sentence him. Justice Kutigi convicted and sentenced Ubadallah to two months in the Correctional Center with an option of N90, 000 (Ninety Thousand Naira) fine. The judge also ordered that the iPhone which was used to perpetrate the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government. Ubadallah bagged the imprisonment when he was arrested for internet crime. He was charged to court and convicted.

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Alleged $1,043, 000 Fraud: Supreme Court Revokes Fred Ajudua’s Bail, Returns him to Prison

The Supreme Court on Friday, May 5, 2025 allowed an appeal made by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, against the decision of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division which granted bail to a socialite, Fred Ajudua. Ajudua is standing trial for allegedly obtaining the sum of $ 1,043,000( One Million, Forty Three Thousand Dollars from a Palestinian, Zad Abu Zalaf, in fraudulent circumstances. At the beginning of trial in 2005 before Justice M.O Obadina of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Ajudua employed several legal technicalities to stall proceedings which made his arraignment difficult until the matter was re- assigned to Justice J. E Oyefeso and later Justice M. A Dada before whom he was arraigned on June 4, 2018. Ajudua challenged his denial of bail at the Lagos Court of Appeal and the appellate court granted him bail on September 10, 2018. Dissatisfied with the judgment, the EFCC approached the apex court in suit number SC/ 51C/ 2019. challenging the judgment of the appellate court. The Commission also entered another appeal before the apex court in suit number SC/912C/2018 against the Court of Appeal Lagos’ judgment ordering the case to be transferred from the court of Justice Dada of the Lagos State High Court to another judge for the case to start de novo. Delivering judgment on the appeals on Friday, the Supreme Court allowed the EFCC’s appeals and revoked Ajudua’s bail granted to him by the Court of Appeal, Lagos and reinstated the ruling of Justice Dada which declined to grant him bail. The Supreme Court also ordered that Fred Ajudua be remanded in the Correctional Centre). The Court further directed that the Chief Judge of Lagos State should reassign the case to Justice Dada to continue the trial. The apex court further held that the appeal in appeal no SC/912C/2019 has become academic since the payer in that appeal was against an order of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, transferring the case to another court to start the case de novo.

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EFCC Arraigns Man over N70m Fraud in Lagos

The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, May 8, 2025 arraigned one Ntai Bagshaw and his company, Terraworks Limited before Justice I. O. Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court, sitting in Ikeja, Lagos for fraud. They are being prosecuted on a two-count charge, bordering on obtaining money under false pretence and stealing. Count one reads: “That you Ntai Bagshow and Terraworks Limited sometime in December 2021 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division with intent to defraud obtained from Muyiwa Makinde the sum of N70,000,000.00 (Seventy Million Naira) under the false pretense that the money is for the payment of a detached Duplex in Renat Axis, located at Ogudu GRA, Lagos State which pretence you knew to be false”. Count two reads: “That you Ntai Bagshow and Terraworks Limited sometime in December 2021 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N70,000,000.00 (Seventy Million Naira) being payment for Detached Duplex located at Ogudu GRA, Lagos State.” He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him, following which prosecution counsel, F. T. Giwa asked the court for a trial date and prayed that the defendant be remanded in a correctional center. Justice Ijelu adjourned the matter till May 13, 2025 for the hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial. He ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional facility.

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VeryDarkMan Regains Freedom

Popular social media activist, Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, has regained freedom from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. VDM has been in the custody of the anti-graft agency since he was arrested in Abuja on Friday. There has been uproar across the nation with Nigeria youths demanding his immediate and unconditional release. EFCC said on Tuesday that the arrest followed a series of petitions against the activist, claiming that several invitations were communicated to him but he failed to honour them. In an update on his official Facebook page on Wednesday evening, an activist cum politician, Omoyele Sowore, said “VDM Released”!

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VeryDarkMan Gets Administrative Bail

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has granted administrative bail to popular Nigerian social media activist Martin Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan. The bail was announced on Tuesday, May 6, via a statement on the EFCC’s official Twitter handle. Despite the bail, Otse will remain in custody until he fulfils the conditions of his release. The EFCC did not disclose the specific terms of the bail but confirmed that Otse is being held pending the perfection of those conditions. Otse’s arrest stemmed from what the commission described as “multiple grave allegations” related to financial crimes. According to the EFCC, the influencer had been invited several times for questioning but consistently failed to respond. “The allegations against Otse bordered on financial crimes, and he had, on several occasions, ignored invitations sent to him by the EFCC,” the agency stated. While details of the allegations have not been made public, the arrest and subsequent bail have sparked widespread attention online, where Otse commands a large and vocal following. Known for his outspoken views on social justice and political affairs, Otse has frequently courted controversy with his online activism. The EFCC emphasised that the investigation remains ongoing and did not indicate when Otse might be released from custody. Otse’s legal representatives have yet to issue a formal statement regarding the case or the bail conditions.

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Serial Investment Fraudster Bags 63 Years in Ibadan

Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, on Monday, April 28, 2025 convicted and sentenced Olaniyan Gbenga Amos to sixty-three (63) years jail term for multiple investment fraud. He was convicted alongside his firm, Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited. They were prosecuted on 30-count charges by Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, bordering on obtaining by false pretences, an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006. Count 21 of the charge reads: “That you Olaniyan Gbenga Amos and Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited on or about 18th of June, 2020, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N995, 000.00 (Nine Hundred and Ninety-five Thousand Naira) only from Bada Titilope, when you falsely represented to him that the money is meant for registration and investment with Crime Alert Security Network with a promise of 30% return on Investment in 6 weeks (30 working days), which representations you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of Obtaining Money under false pretence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.” Another Charge reads: “That you Olaniyan Gbenga Amos and Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited on or about 29th of January, 2020, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N920, 000.00 (Nine Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira) only from Onifade Isaac Olawale, when you falsely represented to him that the money is meant for registration and investment with Crime Alert Security Network with a promise of 30% return on Investment in 6 weeks (30 working days), which representations you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of Obtaining Money under false pretence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.” The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him. Consequent upon his plea, the EFCC Counsel, Sanusi Galadanchi opened the case on February 17, 2022 and called eight (8) witnesses, tendered several exhibits that were marked “Exhibits A to H” and closed the case on January 24, 2023. At the end of the prosecution’s case, the defendant filed a “no case submission” but was thrown out as the defendant was ordered by the court to enter his defence. Subsequently, the defendant opened and closed its case on October 17th, 2024 where the first defendant testified for himself and on behalf of the 2nd defendant as a lone witness. The court, after the presentation of the defendants’ case, adopted the final written addresses of both parties as judgment was reserved till April 28th, 2025. At the resumption of the trial on Monday, April 28, 2025, Justice Adetujoye convicted and sentenced Amos to seven (7) years imprisonment on each count of 6, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 and 24 but discharged and acquitted the defendant on counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 respectively. Furthermore, the court ordered that the sentence should run concurrently and the convict must restitute the victims. Amos was convicted and sentenced to seventy-five (75) years imprisonment by Justice Bayo Taiwo of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan for similar offence on December 14, 2023. The convict has two other ongoing trials before Federal High Courts in Ibadan, Oyo State.

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EFCC Arrests Socialite E-Money For Abusing Naira

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested businessman and socialite, Emeka Okonkwo, popularly known as E-Money. It was learnt that the anti-graft commission arrested E-Money at his Lagos residence on Monday evening. He was subsequently flown to Abuja. E-Money, who is a well-known figure in Nigerian social circles, is the Chief Executive Officer of Emmy Cargoes Nigeria Limited and Five Star Music. It was gathered that E-Money’s arrest is connected to allegations of naira abuse and defacement of foreign currencies levelled against him by the commission. The socialite was said to have sprayed US dollars, an act that contravenes Nigeria’s Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act. The EFCC has not confirmed the development.

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