Metro

Court Grants EFCC Approval To Freeze N30.7m Linked To Alleged NNPC Fraud

Published

2 days ago

January 5, 2026

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to temporarily forfeit the sum of N30.7 million linked to the alleged fraud perpetrated in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to the Federal Government.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling on the ex-parte motion moved by EFCC’s counsel, Emenike Mgbemele, on Monday, held that the application was meritorious and accordingly granted.

The judge ordered that the interim order of forfeiture be published in a national daily for interested persons to show cause within 14 days why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government, and adjourned the matter till January 22 for report of compliance.

The name was changed to Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) on July 19, 2022, to reflect a commercially focused energy company under the late President Muhammadu Buhari, as enshrined in the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

The EFCC had, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2775/2025, sought an interim order of the court forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the sum of N30, 700, 000.00 as raised in the manager’s cheques listed in the schedule, which it said are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

Given three grounds, the lawyer argued that the court had the statutory powers under the provisions of Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, to grant the reliefs being sought.

According to him, the funds sought to be attached and forfeited are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

In the schedule, the lawyer prayed that the funds lodged in four instalments of N10 million each and N700, 000 in EFCC’s Recovery Account with United Bank for Africa (UBA)’s account number: 9058700029 with manager’s cheque name: M/C Draft Outstanding Account, be forfeited to the Federal Government.

An EFCC investigator, Bilkisu Abubakar, in the affidavit deposed to in support of the motion ex-parte, said she was assigned to investigate fraudulent activities of some high-profile officials of the NNPC as well as other criminal petitions brought to the commission.

According to the officer, “upon receipt of the intelligence report, my team carried out several investigation activities, which include but are not limited to making inquiries and receiving financial records from commercial banks that featured in the intelligence”.

Abubakar said it also included writing and receiving responses from the various agencies, like the Corporate Affairs Commission, inviting and interviewing individuals who featured in the investigation.

“That I know as a fact and verily believe the findings of the investigation, which are as follows:

“That in the course of investigation and analysing some of the documents received from the bank, the name of Mr Adamu Yakubu, a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator, featured prominently.”

She said on September 2, 2025, Mr Yakubu, whose name featured in the course of the investigation, was invited and he volunteered his statement.

“That Mr Yakubu submitted a ledger to the commission evidencing records of his transactions wherein the details of customers and the amount of dollars sold by them are recorded.

“That upon analysing the entries in the ledger submitted by Mr Yakubu, it was revealed that over N4, 000, 000, 000.00 was transferred to the accounts of different individuals and companies on the instruction of one Mr Ibrahim Sani, a staff of Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS).”

The investigator said it was discovered that the balance of N30.7 million sought to be forfeited was still in possession of Yakubu from the funds which he claimed were given to him by Mr Ibrahim Sani.

“That on the 15th day of September 2025, Mr Ibrahim Sani, a staff of FIRS, whose name appeared on the ledger and who Mr Yakubu claimed owned the N30, 700, OOO was invited, and he volunteered his statement.”

Abubakar averred that Ibrahim gave a statement on how he had been using Yakubu, the BDC operator, to send money to different individuals and companies.

“That Mr Ibrahim equally confirmed how he usually deposits huge amounts of money (Dollars) with Mr Yakubu, who in turn sends its naira equivalent to individuals’ and companies’ accounts provided by him.

“That Mr Ibrahim neither ascertained nor verified the source of these monies which he has been depositing with Mr Yakubu for onward transfer to other people who are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”

The investigator said Ibrahim, however, denied ownership of the N30.7 million found in Yakubu’s account as at the time of making his statement.

In his statement, Ibrahim was said to have stated that Yakubu was not holding any of his money as at Sept. 15, 2025.

The EFCC operative said both Yakubu and Ibrahim denied ownership of the said N30.7 million found in the account of the former (Yakubu).

“That Mr Yakubu has raised four different managers’ cheques in the name of the EFCC Recovery Account in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“Copies of the managers’ cheques are attached and marked as Exhibits EFCC 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D respectively.

“That I know as a fact and verily believe that the source of the funds sought to be forfeited in the account of Mr Yakubu is proceeds of unlawful activities.”

Abubakar said the court had the discretionary power to grant the application in the interest of justice.

The officer, who said the order being sought was in interim and that nobody would be prejudiced by its grant, said it was in the interest of justice to grant the application.

Metro

JUST IN: Court Grants Malami, Wife, Son N500m Bail Each

Published

5 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Editor

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has admitted former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, to bail in the sum of N500 million and two sureties in like sum pending his trial.

Malami, his son, Abdulaziz Malami, and his wife, Hajia Asabe Bashir, who is an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering to the tune of N8.7 billion.

Ruling on the bail application filed by Malami and his codefendants on Wednesday, Justice Nwite also ordered that the two sureties must have landed properties in Maitama, Asokoro, or Gwarimpa districts of Abuja.

He ruled that the documents of the properties belonging to the sureties are to be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court, while the sureties are also to depose to an affidavit of means.

Malami is to deposit his travelling documents with the Court and must not travel out of the country without the express permission of the court.

Besides, the former AGF and his sureties were also ordered to deposit their two recent passport photograph with the court.

Meanwhile, Malami has been ordered to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja pending the perfection of the bail conditions.

After delivering ruling on the bail application, the trial judge, Justice Nwite, fixed February 17, 2026, for the commencement of the trial in the matter.

The same bail conditions were extended to Malami’s son, Abdulaziz Malami, and his wife, Hajia Asabe Bashir, who is an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited.

The EFCC had slammed a 16-count charge against Malami, his son, and his wife.

In count one of the charge, the anti-graft agency alleged that, “You Abubakar Malami, SAN, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, between July 2022 and June 2025, in Abuja, procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the sum of N1,014,848,500.00 in a Sterling Bank Plc account, when they reasonably ought to have known that the sum constituted proceeds of unlawful activities, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act”.

Count five reads: “That you Abubakar Malami, SAN, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami and Hajia Bashir Asabe, an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, sometime in September 2024, in Abuja, conspired to disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N1,049,173,926.13 paid through the Union Bank Plc account of Meethaq Hotels Limited, Jabi, between November 2022 and September 2024, contrary to Section 21 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Sections 18(2)(a) and 18(3) of the same Act”.

Count six reads: “That you Abubakar Malami, SAN, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, between November 2022 and October 2025, indirectly took control of the aggregate sum of N1,362,887,872.96 paid through the Union Bank Plc savings account of Meethaq Hotels Limited, when they reasonably ought to have known that the funds constituted proceeds of unlawful activities, contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.

Metro

18-year-old OAU Medical Student Dies While Sleeping

Published

22 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Editor

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, has announced the death of an 18-year-old part-three medical student of the institution.

The student, identified as Timilehin Adetoye Toromade, was a student of the College of Health Sciences, Department of Medicine and Surgery.

According to a statement by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, Timilehin with matriculation number CLI/2022/133, reportedly died in his sleep in the early hours of Tuesday, January 6, 2026.

The statement revealed that the “university received the news of the student’s passing with shock and deep sorrow”.

It also described the incident as devastating to the academic community.

According to the statement, “preliminary information suggested that the student might have died shortly after 2 a.m., as one of his roommates reportedly said the deceased opened the door for another student around that time.

“The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, expressed condolences on behalf of the Visitor, the University Council, Management, Senate, staff and students”.

The VC, Professor Bamire, described the incident as a painful loss, saying, “The loss of a young life filled with promise, purpose, and potential is a tragedy that words alone cannot adequately capture.”

He added that the university community was united in grief over the passing of a student who had embraced the rigours of medical training with the aim of serving humanity.

According to him, the death had left a void among the student’s peers and all those who knew him within the university community.

The university management stated that it was working closely with relevant authorities to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the incident, in line with established medical and administrative procedures.

It also disclosed that appropriate support measures were being put in place to assist students and members of the university community who may have been emotionally affected by the loss.

The management called on students, staff, alumni and friends of the institution to remain calm and compassionate, while extending sympathy to the family of the deceased.

Metro

Panic As BRT Bus Catches Fire On Third Mainland Bridge

Published

22 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Editor

Panic gripped motorists on Tuesday afternoon following a fire outbreak involving a Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, vehicle on the Third Mainland Bridge, leading to massive traffic disruption.

The incident occurred around 1:00 p.m. near the Adekunle section of the bridge, heading towards Iyana Oworo.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, confirmed the development in a statement posted on its official X handle.

According to the agency, the high-capacity BRT bus suddenly went up in flames, prompting anxiety among road users in the area.

Footage shared online showed the bus completely consumed by fire, with thick plumes of smoke rising into the sky as motorists slowed down or sought alternative routes to avoid the scene.

While no injuries or loss of life were reported, the incident caused a heavy traffic buildup extending from Adekunle towards Iyana Oworo.

“A high-capacity bus is currently on fire on the Third Mainland Bridge by Adekunle, inward Iyana Oworo, and this is impacting traffic flow,” LASTMA stated.

“Our personnel are on ground managing traffic, while efforts are ongoing to extinguish the fire,” the agency added.

Subsequent updates indicated that officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service arrived at the scene and worked to control the blaze to prevent further damage.

Traffic officers were also deployed to redirect vehicles away from the affected area as emergency responders tackled the situation.

As of the time this report was filed, the cause of the fire had yet to be determined.