EFCC Arrests 16 Internet Fraud Suspects in Enugu
Operatives of the Enugu Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC have arrested 16 suspected internet fraudsters in three separate sting operations in the Monarch area, New Haven Extension and Castle Majestic Hotel, Ogui Road, Enugu.
The suspects were arrested following verified intelligence on their alleged involvement in internet-related fraud activities. Part of the intelligence indicated that suspected internet fraudsters were operating from Castle Majestic Hotel, Enugu. Based on the intelligence, and weeks of surveillance, a search warrant was executed on the facility on Thursday September 16, 2021.
In the course of the operation, the operatives encountered a group that identified themselves as members of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS and Ohaneze Ndi Igbo Youth wing. The leaders of the group duly identified their members and carried on with their activities.
But the target of the sting operation was arrested and brought to the Enugu Zonal Command for questioning.
Among the suspects arrested are Agbo Paschal, Anthony Ogbu Uzochukwu, Ejiofor, Uchenna Ejiofor Chikora, Ezihe Victor, Nnaji Onyedikachi Christian, Eke Ike, Ogbodo Arinze, Ogbodo Ebube, Ogbu Chinedu, Ossai Chinedu and Udey Ifeanyi.
Some of the items recovered from them include one Lexus ES 350 car with plate number BLF 722 LD, one Yellow Fever travel document, several laptops, mobile phones and other incriminating documents.
The suspects will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.
…Seeks CBN Support in Tackling Fraudulent Investment Managers
The Port Harcourt Zonal Commander of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE Aliyu Naibi, has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria( CBN) to offer the EFCC more information and other support in tackling fraudulent investment managers operating in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria.
He made this call in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 while receiving the Rivers State Branch Controller, CBN, Mrs Oruwari O. B who paid him a Courtesy Visit. Naibi lamented the alarming cases of fraudulent investment managers in Rivers State and the attendant loss of “funds by various investors” and sued for more support from the CBN to stem the tide of such cases.
“We are investigating several cases involving fraudulent investment managers, Ponzi scheme operators and other related cases here in the Port Harcourt Zonal Command. We cannot investigate any investment fraud case without the CBN. We need to know whether such investment managers are licensed or not because they always claim that they are licensed by the CBN”, he said.
He explained that though the CBN was always referring investigators of fraudulent investment schemes to the Security and Exchange Commission, SEC, the apex bank could still be supportive in debunking claims of such dubious managers.
Responding, Oruwari said that the CBN was aware of issues related to the fraudulent investment managers and working to create more public and market awareness about their sharp practices. She also commended the EFCC for building effective public consciousness about economic and financial crimes and their accompanying consequences. “Many people are conscious that the EFCC is around, so they are more careful”, she said.
She called for more collaboration between the two agencies, stressing that “we are both talking finance, money, crime and other related issues. We feel we need to collaborate more”.
…Presents Two Witnesses in Alleged N40.5m Contract Fraud
The trial of one Muhammed Abdullahi Kulloma before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri commenced on Monday, September 13, 2021 with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Maiduguri Zonal Command presenting two witnesses against the defendant.
Kulloma was arraigned alongside his firm, Mbuta Criterion Nigeria Limited on August 6, 2021 on a one-count charge of obtaining N40,500,000.00 (Forty Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) by false pretence.
The defendant allegedly deceived one Modu Mustapha Tijjani, Managing Director of Gumalti Nigeria Limited and obtained the said sum in tranches of N27million, N13million and N500,000.00 through his personal and company’s accounts, on the guise of financing a contract for the supply of locally made cooking stoves awarded to him by a Non-Governmental Organisation, Mercy Corps.
The one count charge reads: “That you, Muhammad Abdullahi Kulloma being the Chief Executive Officer of Mbuta Criterion Nigeria Ltd and alter ego of Mbuta Criterion Ltd, a company registered in Nigeria, sometimes in 2020 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N40,500,000.00 (Forty Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) only from Modu Mustapha Tijjani, the Managing Director of Gumalti Nigeria Limited via your personal account No. 0236531326 and your corporate account No. 0458028956 with account name Mbuta Criterion Nigeria Limited both domiciled with GTB Plc under the false pretence that the said sum represent payment for the execution of a purported contract for the supply of locally fabricated cooking stoves made with clay knapsack sprayers awarded by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) , Mercy Corps, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded ‘not guilty’ when the charge was read to him.
At the resumed hearing today, first prosecution witness, Modu Mustapha Tijjani while being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, told the court that the first defendant informed his manager, Sadiq A. Goni, that he was awarded a contract by Mercy Corp worth N40.5million and he wanted the complainant to finance the contract which was obliged.
PW1 testified that, “On the 4th of December, 2020, my brother Bulama Mustapha Tijjani transferred the sum of N27million to the personal account of the defendant domiciled at Guaranty Trust Bank Plc after the defendant approached my manager for an assistance to finance a contract and he promised to pay back after thirty days. Afterwards, when Kulloma was contacted, he informed us that the contract is ongoing and he needed additional money to finish up the contract.
“Given his words, the sum of N13million was transferred to the defendant account domiciled with Guaranty Trust Bank on the 28th day of February, 2020 and another N500,000 was later transferred to Kulloma with an undertaking to pay all the monies including the accumulated profit but subsequently he reneged on his promise.”
The witness disclosed that he went to the NGO, Mercy Corps to inquire about the status of the contract and was told that the defendant had completed the contract and had been paid.
“Consequently, I confronted Kulloma with my findings from the Mercy Corps, and he admitted being paid and promised to pay in a month’s time. Later, he issued me a post dated cheque of N30million with Polaris Bank and an undated cheque of N14.4million with Zenith Bank which I later found out were dud cheques’ ‘, PW1 said.
PW2, Sadiq A. Goni, Manager of Gumalti Store Nigeria Limited, corroborated the evidence given by the PW1.
In his testimony, PW2 said, “I was introduced to the defendant by one of my neighbours, Mallam Usman Ado; who said the defendant was a vendor executing contracts with NGOs, that he was awarded a contract by Mercy Corps.
“I met with my Managing Director, Tijjani and informed him about the contract awarded to the defendant and a purported Purchase Order was presented to Tijjani by the defendant in my presence where he requested for financing, which Tijjani obliged.”
Justice Kumaliya, after listening to the testimonies of the witnesses adjourned the matter till September 29, 2021 for continuation of trial.
The defendant has been remanded in the correctional facility since the day of arraignment.
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