Metro

EFCC Arraigns Ondo Speaker, Two Others Over Alleged Fraud

Published

3 years ago

April 25, 2023

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned the Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Bamidele Oloyelogun, and two others before the state High Court in Akure, over alleged N2.4 million fraud belonging to the Assembly.

Their arraignment followed the ruling by an Akure High Court that it has jurisdiction over the trial.

Consequently, the three lawmakers and one civil servant were arraigned before Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye for the alleged fraud sequel to the dismissal of the preliminary objection filed against their trial by the EFCC.

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The fund (N2.4 million) was meant for a seminar, which the lawmakers and the civil servant were meant to attend, but didn’t.

The two others arraigned on a two-count charge of fraud, alongside the Speaker, were Felemu Bankole (Akoko South-West Constituency 2), and a civil servant, Segun Oyadeyi Bankole.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the allegations levelled against them.

At the commencement of the trial, the counsel to EFCC, Kingsley Kudus, asked the court to remand the defendants at the Olokuta Correctional Facility.

But reacting, counsel to the defendants, Femi Emodamore, asked the court to strike out EFCC’s prayer for remand, arguing that the administrative bail application on the defendants was still active.

Emodamore said that the second defendant (Oleyelogun) was having a health challenge that needed urgent medical attention.

He equally asked the court to caution the nominal complainant (former Deputy Speaker, Iroju Ogundeji) in the case for allegedly sending messages to the Speaker in an attempt to annoy him.

According to him, “If Ogundeji did not desist from such action, he would be prosecuted as his actions towards the Speaker is against the law.”

In his ruling, Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye asked the defendants to enjoy their administrative bail till the next hearing date.

Justice Adebusoye, therefore, adjourned the case till May 18 for a proper hearing of the trial.

Recall that when the case came up for hearing in February, the lawmakers argued that EFCC lacked the power to prosecute offences affecting the finances and assets of the state as there exists a law enacted by the Assembly to tackle corruption allegations in the state.

The defendants in the preliminary objection filed to the EFCC charges by their counsel, Mr Femi Emodamori, asked the court to decline jurisdiction and strike out the charges against them because the EFCC has no right to prosecute them as the assets they were facing trial for belonged to the state.

Emodamore said the EFCC has no right to prosecute the defendants for alleged corruption in view of the State Public Complaint Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Commission Law passed into law and signed by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in January 2022.

But the counsel to the EFCC then, Mr Fredrick Dibang, said that the court has jurisdiction, because the state law enacted by the state assembly is contrary to the acts of the National Assembly that establish EFCC and once there is a conflict between the law of a state and that of the National Assembly, the law of the state is suspended.

Dibang said the Assembly passed the law with the intention of frustrating the trial of the lawmakers and the civil servant for the alleged abuse of office and corruption.

However, in his ruling, Justice Adebusoye put the state law in abeyance and held that the EFCC has the power to investigate and prosecute the lawmakers for the alleged fraud, which they were charged with.

Adebusoye said: “The offences against the defendants are not state offences promulgated by the state legislation but a federal offence, having being promulgated by the National Assembly, though relates to finances of Ondo State.

“Without wasting the time of this court, it settles that the complainant is empowered to investigate and prosecute the three defendants on the two counts charge as stated in the information file, being federal offences and even though the alleged ones involved belong to the Ondo state government.”

The judge, therefore, dismissed the preliminary objection as filed by the defendants and assumed jurisdiction to adjudicate on this matter.

Metro

Explosion Rocks Kwara, Five Wounded, Four Buildings Damaged

Published

8 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

A suspected bomb on Christmas night hit Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, wounding about five people, including a couple and their young daughter.

The sad incident, which residents suspected to be a bomb explosion, occurred at Yidi (Muslim’s prayer ground) along the Offa-Ijagbo road.

The woman, identified as Iya Ayo, and her daughter, Aisha, were seriously affected and hospitalised at the nearby First Care Hospital.

Fellow neighbours told The Weekend Guardian that the woman was seriously injured, while another boy’s ear was chopped.

They said: “They were already asleep when the explosion happened. Iya Ayo’s breast, stomach and arms were pierced by nails.”

Eyewitnesses said an artisan was also affected, with four adjoining buildings seriously damaged.

A petty trader, Madam Joy, said, “We saw it coming with lights beaming, then rammed into this (pointing) upstairs before going through the other three buildings it pulled down.”

The Commissioner of Police (CP), Adekimi Ojo, however, corrected the rumour that a bomb was brought into the city by the American military.

According to the police chief, “There was no bomb scare in Offa, there was no plane crash.

“What happened was just an ordinance, and our IED experts have evacuated the debris. There is no more cause for alarm, everything is now under control as our IED experts have immediately started discreet investigation,” he told newsmen at the site of the incident.

Meanwhile, an official preliminary statement by the Offa LGt, copied by The Guardian, described the cause of the explosion as suspected ordnance-related.

It stated that security agencies have cordoned off the affected area to allow for further investigations.

The Executive Chairman, Hon. Suleiman Olatunji Omituntun, briefed the media, saying: “It was at 9:38pm yesterday (Thursday) that I received a distress call about this incident. Thank God, no life was lost.”

“This is not a bomb explosion, this is not a plane crash incident, it is just an ordinary happening that rocked this area. Thank God everything is now calm with residents going about their normal activities.

“The police have come with their experts,” he said, adding, “I suspect it could be that a drone was being tested and it backfired or it malfunctioned,” he suspected.

Meanwhile, Olatunji and the Special Adviser on Political Matters to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Hon. Femi Agbaje Whyte, and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Offa Division visited the scene immediately after the incident to assess the situation firsthand.

The council Chairman urged residents of Offa to remain calm, vigilant, and law-abiding and always to verify information through credible and official sources to avoid the spread of fear and misinformation.

Metro

Eight Yoruba Republic Agitators Arrested In Ogun

Published

8 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Police in Ogun State have arrested eight persons for alleged breach of public peace, unlawful assembly, obstruction of traffic, and serious assault on police officers on Christmas Day.

The suspects, under the aegis of the Democratic Republic of Yoruba, were arrested for causing disturbance at Temidire Junction and Under-Bridge in the Sango-Ota area of Ogun State.

The suspects are Adewale Sosanya, ‘M’, aged 48; Opeyemi Oladotun, ‘M’, aged 31; Zara Gabriel, ‘F’, aged 22; Ajoke Gabriel, ‘F’, aged 19; Adewale Adebomojo, ‘F’, aged 48; Yusuf Tanimowo, ‘M’, aged 40; Olurotimi Ademola, ‘M’, aged 52; and Toyin Gabriel, ‘F’, aged 40.

Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi confirmed this to newsmen in a statement in Abeokuta on Friday.

Babaseyi said that upon receiving the information, the police immediately mobilised, moved to the scene and dispersed the group of agitators.

He said, “The Ogun State Police Command has arrested eight (8) suspects for breach of public peace, unlawful assembly, obstruction of traffic, and serious assault on police officers following a disturbance caused by the group in parts of Sango-Ota, Ogun State.Eight Yoruba Republic agitators arrested in Ogun

“On 25th December 2025, Christmas Day, at Temidire Junction and Under-Bridge, Sango-Ota, a group agitating under the aegis of ‘Democratic Republic of the Yoruba’ unlawfully barricaded roads, set bonfires, disrupted the free flow of traffic, and attacked police officers deployed to maintain law and order,” he added.

Exhibits recovered from the suspects include a Toyota Dyna vehicle used to convey the suspects, two broadcast speakers, a carton containing flags, shirts bearing inscriptions of their agitation, and banners displaying their messages and manifesto.

The Police PRO added that the suspects will be charged in court upon completion of the investigation.
However, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Ogunlowo, reassured residents of the Command’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property.

The CP warned that the command will not tolerate any act capable of breaching public peace, emphasising that any assault on police officers will be met with decisive action.

He urged members of the public to remain law-abiding and report suspicious activities promptly through the Ogun State Police Command emergency lines: Gateway Shield (General Complaints Line – Toll Free): 0800 000 9111; Emergency Numbers: 0906 283 7609, 0912 014 1706, 0915 102 7369, and 0708 497 2994.

Metro

Court Jails Two Ex-bankers For Diverting N10.3m Pension Funds In Enugu

Published

2 days ago

December 24, 2025

Editor

The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has secured the conviction and sentencing of Sani Endurance Aferokhe and Hillary Odo, two former bankers, for diverting N10.3 million belonging to bank customers.

According to a post on X by the commission on Wednesday the judgment was delivered by Justice A. O. Onovo of the Enugu State High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu.

The case was handled by the EFCC and relates to offences committed while the convicts were staff of Intercontinental Bank Plc, now Access Bank Plc.

Aferokhe and Odo were arraigned on January 18, 2016, on a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, and stealing the fund on a seven count of the charge reads:

“Sani Endurance Aferokhe and Hillary Odo on or about the 21st day of November, 2012 at Nsukka within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, while as servants of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc), stole the sum of Four Million, Four Hundred and Forty-four Thousand Naira (N4, 440, 000. 00) property of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc) from a customer account with account name Udekwu F. A. O with number 00237808311 domiciled in Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc) and thereby committed an offence”.

Count two of the charge reads:
“Sani Endurance Aferokhe and Hillary Odo on or about the 12th day of October 2012 at Nsukka within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while as servants of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc), stole the sum of Two Million, One Hundred and Thirteen Thousand, Six Hundred and Ten Naira, forty Kobo (N2, 113, 610. 40) property of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc) from a customer account with account name Onuora George with account number 0023781315 domiciled in Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc) and thereby committed an offence.

The offences are contrary to Section 459(a) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 30 of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004. The defendants pleaded not guilty, leading to a full trial.

During the trial, the EFCC, through its counsel, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Michael Ikechukwu Ani, presented five witnesses and tendered several documents as evidence.

In its judgment delivered on Friday, December 22, 2025, the court dismissed counts six and nine.

The second defendant was convicted on counts four and seven, while the first defendant was convicted on counts one, two, three, five, eight, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen.

The court sentenced the second defendant to five years’ imprisonment on counts four and seven, with an option of a N100,000 fine on each count.

The first defendant was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on each of the counts, except count fifteen, for which he received a three-year sentence, all with an option of a N100,000 fine per count.

The convicts, who are former staff of Access Bank, were found guilty after conspiring to reactivate three dormant customer accounts belonging to pensioners without their consent and diverting the funds for personal use.