Tag: EFCC

NLTF Commends EFCC for Raising its Remittance inflows to N2.1bn

The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, ES/CEO, of the National Lottery Trust Fund, NLTF, Bello Maigari, has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for helping to widen the revenue base of the Fund through enhanced remittance inflows from N800million to N2.1billion annually.

He gave the commendation in Abuja on Thursday, April 4, 2024 when he led his management team on a courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of the Commission. Maigari stated that the intervention of the EFCC assisted his Fund to grow its revenue profile and number of lottery operators
“Before the Commission’s intervention, remittance inflows could not exceed N800 million annually. However, when the exercise started in 2020, there was a significant increase in remittance inflows between N1.8billion and N2.1 billion and the same applied to number of lottery operators from barely 10, their numbers steadily increased to 48 as at last count”, he said.

He lauded the rising performance of the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede since he assumed office, pointing out that his performance has been phenomenal. “Let me once again congratulate you on your well-deserved appointment to this high office and to commend you and members of your able team for your exemplary leadership, courage and patriotism in stemming the tide of growing financial crimes in the country.

Maigari admitted that the lottery and gaming industry have grown significantly “to well over N2trillion.” He, therefore, called for increased collaboration with the EFCC to sustain the growth and to recover outstanding liabilities from lottery operators.

Speaking further, Maigari appealed to the EFCC to help in steering the implementation of the Revenue Assurance Platform of the NLTF, describing it as “a strategic revenue mobilization initiative being driven by the Federal Ministry of Finance on behalf of the National Lottery Trust Fund”.

Responding, Olukoyede, appreciated the visit and the good work Maigari is doing in the area of revenue mobilization and recovery. He charged him to work harder stressing that the Commission was ready to support his Fund in its drive for larger remittance inflows.

The EFCC boss urged Maigari to furnish the EFCC with intelligence on the number of registered and unregistered betting and gaming platforms across and outside the country, promising that unregistered ones would be compelled to comply with the laws of the nation to do the right things.

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EFCC Holds Director’s Lecture Series on PR

In line with the dreams of the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, to constantly hone the public relations skills of officers of the Commission, the first quarter of the Director’s Lecture Series for Public Affairs Department held on Friday, April 5th, 2024, at the PAD Conference Room, Abuja.

Yushau Shuaibu, Managing Director, Image Merchants Promotions Limited, who was the guest lecturer spoke on the topic: “Effective Public Relations Strategies for Law Enforcement Agencies”.

Acting Director, Public Affairs of the Commission, Wilson Uwujaren, appreciated the guest speaker for finding time to impact knowledge on upcoming public relations practitioners of the Commission. He also said that the training is in consonance with professionalism, being a core value of the Commission.

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Naira Abuse: Lagos Court Convicts Bobrisky, Defers Sentence till April 9

The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, April 5, 2024, secured the conviction of Idris Okuneye, a.k.a Bobrisky, before Justice Abimbola Awogboro sitting at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos over mutilation of the Naira notes.

He was arraigned on Friday on a four-count charge bordering on mutilation of the Naira notes to the tune of N490, 000, 00 (Four Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira).

Count one reads: “That you, OKUNEYE IDRIS OLANREWAJU, on the 24th day of March, 2024, at Imax Circle Mal, Jakande, Lekki, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing during a social event, tampered with the total sum of N400,000.00 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira) notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

Another count reads: “That you, OKUNEYE IDRIS OLANREWAJU, between July and August, 2023 at Aja Junction, Ikorodu, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing during a social event, tampered with the sum N50,000.00 (Fifty Thousand Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

He pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.

In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, S.I. Sulaiman sought to invite the investigating officer, ASE I Bolaji Temitope Aje, to give a brief review of the facts.

Aje narrated to the court that the EFCC received intelligence on some individuals, who are in the habit of mutilating and spraying the Naira notes at social parties and event centres in Lagos.

“Based on the intelligence, the EFCC set up the Special Operations Team to observe and monitor activities of individuals, who are involved in the habit of mutilating the Naira.

“The team visited many event centres and monitored social media pages, where the Naira was being abused.

“During the course of the monitoring, the team came across videos on social media, where the defendant was seen abusing the Naira.

“The team then proceeded to download these videos via our office laptop computers and also went further to copy these videos on compact discs.

“In the light of the foregoing, a letter of invitation was written and forwarded to the defendant.

“The defendant honoured the invitation. When he got to our office, he was voluntarily cautioned. Thereafter, he volunteered to write his statement .

“The defendant was shown a video,where he was spraying money on an artiste called Segun Johnson. The defendant confessed that he was the one in the video. He was also shown a video at IMAX Circle Mall, where he sprayed a total sum of N400,000 at a movie premiere. The defendant also admitted that he was the one in the video and that he carried out the abuse.

“The defendant was also shown two other videos of him spraying the Naira at Aja junction, Ikorodu, and White Stone Event Centre, Ikeja, Lagos .

“The defendant admitted to spraying money in these videos. He was, therefore, served with a bail condition.

Sulaiman, thereafter, sought to tender, in evidence, the defendant’s statements and compact disc copies of the video attached to the certificate of identification.

Justice Awogboro admitted and marked the documents as exhibits.

In view of the above, Sulaiman prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.

Justice Awogboro,thereafter, ruled, “upon the admission of guilt by the defendant, testimony of PW1 and following the evidence tendered, the defendant is declared guilty as charged.

Bobrisky, in his plea for mercy told the court, said: “I am a social media influencer, with five million followers; and in all honesty, I was not aware of the law.

“I wish I can be given a second chance to use my platform to educate my followers against the abuse of the Naira. I will do a video on my page and educate people on that. I will not repeat the offence again. I regret my action”, he pleaded.

The defendant’s counsel, Ayo Olumofin, prayed the court for leniency. He appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy, considering his status as a first-time offender as well as his “ sincere remorse for his actions.”

Pleading further, he said, “He will lead the crusade against the abuse of Naira. He is also an employer of people ; and if he goes to jail, the people he employs will suffer. He has cooperated with the EFCC and has not wasted the time of the court. We urge the court to caution the defendant and allow him to go. He has given evidence that he will be useful to the country. We urge you to grant a non-custodial sentencing option of fine.”

After listening to both parties, the Judge deferred judgment in the matter to Tuesday, April 9, 2024 and also ordered that he be remanded in the EFCC custody.

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EFCC Denies Stopping Service of Charges on Binance Chief

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, wishes to react to a news report in a leading national newspaper entitled: “EFCC Stopped Service of Charges on Binance Chief, FIRS Alleges”. The report is untrue, misleading and removed from the facts before the court.

At no time did the court bailiff approach the EFCC to serve any of the Binance executives in its custody with a charge. At the last sitting of the court, counsel to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Moses Ideh, did not lodge such a complaint before the court. He only told the court that the Service was yet to serve the defendants.

The Commission, therefore, finds the news item preposterous and embarrassing. The public is enjoined to ignore it entirely.

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EFCC Football Team Lifts FCT FA Cup

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC’s Football Team, EFCC FC, on Saturday, March 30, 2024, lifted the FCT F.A Cup after defeating Sporting Supreme FC in a very scintillating performance which ended 4-3.

The game which took place at the Bwari Township Stadium, Abuja before a large crowd of football lovers and cheerleaders saw the EFCC team defeat their opponent in a penalty shootout which ended 4-3 to lift the trophy after a breathtaking 2-2 draw of full game time.

In the course of the game, Sporting Supreme FC took the lead with the first goal at the 29th minute, further sustained with the second goal at the 74th minute of play time before the EFCC team fought from a 2- goal deficit with a brilliant comeback to level up the scores with the help of Abubakar Bature scoring a brace just 2 minutes to the final whistle.

The EFCC team, six time champions, had played 3 finals consecutively in the previous seasons to lift the title since its last win in 2021.

The team will proceed to represent FCT in the Confederation cup where it will log heads with other titans like Rangers Kano pillars, Lobi stars, Sunshine, Akwaibom United among others.

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Chidi Odinkalu’s Reckless Commentaries on EFCC

The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to some reckless commentaries made by a former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu on the arrest of Idris Okuneye(a.k.a Bobrisky) by the Commission, describing it as evidence of idleness or an abuse of power .

The Commission views such commentaries from Odinkalu as unbecoming of a former head of a major government agency.

Okuneye was arrested and arraigned by the Commission on the basis of clear cases of abuse of the Naira to which he has pleaded guilty.

Odinkalu has a right to free speech as a Nigerian but such a right should be exercised with decorum and responsibility. The Commission would not hesitate to take appropriate legal actions against such uncouth commentaries against its lawful mandate by anyone.

Odinkalu is warned and advised to ventilate his rascally opinions more responsibly in future situations.

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EFCC’s Position on Malabu Oil Fraud Case and Associated Issues

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has commenced a review of developments around the Malabu OPL 245 fraud case, including the dismissal of the charges against a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke by a Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja and the conduct of the prosecuting counsel, Offem Uket.

The review will entail exploration of the option of appeal and possible change of counsel in view of the Commission’s dissatisfaction with the handling of the case by Uket.

Nevertheless, this intention has no nexus whatsoever to the spew of speculations imputing compromise by parties to the charge, currently making the rounds in some sections of the media.

EFCC is not obliged to embrace such narratives as it neither accused any of the parties of any unsavoury conduct nor made any conclusive statements about any investigation on the matter.

The public is enjoined to ignore effusions of mischief makers on the matter and await the next course of actions.

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EFCC Arrests 39 for Suspected Internet Fraud in Benin City

Operatives of the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, April 4, 2024 arrested 39 suspected internet fraudsters at different locations in Benin City.
The suspects were arrested following actionable intelligence on their suspected involvement in computer -related fraud.

Items recovered from them include eight exotic cars – three Mercedes-Benz GLK, one Mercedes Benz C300 4 Matic, two Lexus ES350, Toyota Venza and Toyota Camry cars. Others are laptops and phones

The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

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