Metro

EFCC Arraigns Two Over Alleged N8.9m Investment Fraud In Anambra

Published

2 weeks ago

April 23, 2026

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned two men, Samuel Inalegwu Okpala and Ezelibe Emmanuel Nzube, before the Federal High Court sitting in Awka over an alleged N8.9 million fraud.

The defendants were brought before Justice Bala Khalifa-Mohammed Usman by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the anti-graft agency on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, fraudulent impersonation, and obtaining money under false pretence.

According to the EFCC, the alleged offences were committed in 2025 in Onitsha, where the defendants were said to have defrauded victims under the guise of investment opportunities.

One of the charges reads: “That you, Samuel Inalegwu Okpala, sometime in 2025, at Onitsha, Anambra State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with the intent to defraud, induced one Clara Uwakonye to deliver to you the sum of Five million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N5,500,000.00) under the pretence that she would receive return on investment, a representation which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.

Another count states: “That you, Ezelibe Emmanuel Nzube, sometime in 2025, at Onitsha, Anambra State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, fraudulently impersonated one Michael Michael by means of your Samsung A05 mobile phone via a fake Facebook account created by you with the intent to gain advantage for yourself from Lisbeth Hojiund and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(b)(i) & (ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(iv) of the same Act”.

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to them.

Following their pleas, counsel to the EFCC, Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, Somtochukwu C. Anyanwu, asked the court to fix a date for trial and to remand the defendants at the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Awka.

The court subsequently adjourned the case to April 29, 2026, for the hearing of their bail application and ordered that the defendants be remanded in custody.

The EFCC alleged that Okpala lured victims into a fake investment scheme with promises of returns. After receiving the money, he reportedly became unreachable, while efforts by victims to recover their funds failed.

Nzube was said to have worked with Okpala in carrying out the scheme, specialising in identity theft and the use of fake social media accounts to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

Metro

Gunmen Kidnap Businessman In Ibadan

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a 60-year-old man in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The victim was kidnapped on Saturday while on his way to his residence.

The incident occurred at Jinarere, Alakia in Ibadan.

Public Relations Officer of the State Police command, Olayinka Ayanlade, when contacted, confirmed the incident.

Ayanlade in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Sunday, explained that efforts are ongoing to rescue the victim.

Ayanlade said, “Preliminary information reveals that the victim, a 60-year-old male and building materials trader, was accosted while returning home along the Jinarere axis of Alakia Road by four masked armed men, who forcefully whisked him away in an unregistered ash-coloured Toyota Corolla vehicle”.

Metro

Tragedy As Suspected Kidnappers Kill Young Entrepreneur In Edo

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

A 30-year-old entrepreneur and CEO of Principle Takeout, Justice Abu Oshioke, has been killed by suspected kidnappers in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

He was reportedly attacked by the suspected kidnappers on Saturday while on his way to pick up an order made for his child’s dedication on Sunday morning.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers attempted to force him into a nearby bush in a kidnapping attempt. However, he reportedly resisted and tried to escape.

In the course of the struggle, the assailants opened fire, shooting him multiple times.

Concerned residents quickly rushed him to a nearby medical facility, but he was confirmed dead on arrival.

The deceased was said to have recently gotten married and welcomed a baby boy.

The tragic event has turned a joyous occasion into a moment of grief for the family.

The shocking development has left the Ekpoma community in deep sorrow, with many residents expressing outrage over the growing insecurity in the area.

Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem confirmed the incident and said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika has ordered a “full-scale investigation and intensified manhunt for those responsible.”

According to her, the Police, in collaboration with the military, local vigilantes, and hunters, are actively pursuing the perpetrators through coordinated operations.

Metro

Grandfathers Arrested For Drug Trafficking

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

Two grandfathers, aged 83 and 78, are among several suspects apprehended by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a fresh nationwide crackdown on illicit drug trafficking.

Pa John Ofiel, 83, was arrested on Tuesday, 28 April during a raid in the Aba region of Abia State.

The NDLEA said that operatives acting on credible intelligence recovered 700 grams of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis already packaged into retail sachets.

The octogenarian, who claimed to be a professional shoemaker allegedly confessed to delving into the illicit trade.

In Ekiti State on Thursday 30 April 78 year old Ogunjobi Samuel was detained at his residence in Ilupeju-Ekiti where officers seized 350 grams of cannabis from him, identifying him as a local peddler.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, (CCEO), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), commended the various state commands for their drug supply reduction efforts.

He urged officers to maintain the current momentum, balancing enforcement with the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities.
The enforcement drive also led to the arrest of a notorious drug dealer in Oyo State Taofik Adeyemi, 49.

He was apprehended on Saturday, 2 May, at his residence in Ibadan after months of evading the authorities.

He was caught alongside his salesman, Mustapha Oyerinde, with 3.085kg of cannabis and a getaway vehicle.

Across other states, the NDLEA recorded significant seizures including over 140,000 pills and capsules of Tramadol intercepted in separate operations targeting transit routes from Damaturu to Hadejia.

A raid on Awolowo Market in Mushin area of Lagos state resulted in the recovery of 740kg of cannabis while in Kaduna, two suspects were caught on the Abuja-Jos highway with 290kg of compressed cannabis concealed in a Honda Ridgeline.

A 65-year-old driver was intercepted at the Ile-Ife toll gate in Osun state conveying skunk and methamphetamine, leading to a follow up arrest of the consignment’s owner in Ilesha.

In line with it’s mandate, the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy, holding enlightenment lectures for students, Islamic schools, and commercial motorcyclists in Niger, Kano, Anambra, and Lagos states.

The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, noted that the agency remains committed to “cleansing the streets” of both notorious distributors and those who use age as a shield for criminal activity.