EFCC Inaugurates More Integrity Clubs in Lagos, Makurdi
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, May 12, 2023, inaugurated the EFCC Integrity Club in Methodist Boys High School, Victoria Island, Lagos.
This was contained in a news release posted on the Commission’s official website.
Speaking on the occasion, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, urged the students to be anti-corruption ambassadors.
Bawa, who was represented by ACE 1 Michael T. Wetkas, Zonal Commander, Lagos Command of EFCC, also urged the students to uphold the core values of the Club, which are integrity, discipline, honesty, and patriotism.
He said: “As students, youths and leaders of tomorrow, you need to have deeper insights into the havocs being wreaked on our nation by the monster of corruption.
“You are expected to channel your creative energies into useful engagements and not into dishonest and dubious means of cheating others of their resources.”
In his remarks, Umoh Felix, a teacher and patron of the Club, expressed his gratitude to the EFCC for inaugurating the Club in the school, while urging the students to shun any involvement in acts of corruption and financial crimes.
According to him, “We are ready to partner with the EFCC in the fight against economic and financial crimes by speaking up against corrupt practices within the school and the environment at large.”
About 250 students took oath of service alongside the executives.
The Head Boy of the School, Oche Ochefu, in his vote of thanks, appreciated the EFCC for the honour done the school and pledged to join the rest of students in lending their voices against economic and financial crimes.
In a related development, another EFCC Integrity Club was inaugurated at NKST Secondary School, High Level Makurdi, Benue State.
The Executive Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa who was represented by Head, Public Affairs, Makurdi Zonal Command, CSE Adeniran Adebayo Samuel, urged the students to be of exemplary conduct and to make integrity their guide. “I hope that every member of the Club and the entire school community will embrace the values and regulations of the Club and in the process, make Nigeria better and greater, “he said.
He urged the students to be Anti-Corruption ambassadors in their school, community and the society at large. Thirty students took the oath of service.
NKST School Principal, MrTyoor Terngu, commended the EFCC for establishing the Club “we are happy that we are now part of the EFCC Integrity Club and we promise to lead by example”.
Court Jails Man One Year For N10m Theft In Lagos
Justice O.O. Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, May 11, 2023, convicted and sentenced one Abdulmalik Abdullateef to one year imprisonment for stealing.
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had, on April 27, 2023, arraigned 21-year-old Abdullateef on a one-count charge bordering on stealing to the tune of N10m ,an offence contrary to Section 278 and 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria 2011.
The one-count charge reads: “Abdulmalik Abdullateef, between 1st day of January 2023 and the 6th day of January 2023 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly stole and converted to your own use the aggregate sum of N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira only) , property of Fincra Technologies Limited.”
He pleaded “guilty” to the charge.
At today’s proceedings, counsel for the EFCC, S.O. Daji, called a prosecution witness , Damilare Adeosun, an operative of the EFCC, through whom a review of the facts against the defendant was given.
Adeosun told the court that the EFCC received a petition from one Fincra Technology Limited, a firm licensed to carry out financial solution services to customers.
“They reported that their system was compromised by cybercriminals, leading to the loss of about N260 million,” he said.
According to him, investigations revealed that the defendant was a recipient “and he was subsequently picked up from his hideout in Kaduna and brought to the Lagos office for further investigation.”
The witness testified further that the defendant admitted to have benefited N10 million.
“He confessed that he got a link on a WhatsApp group, where he had created a profile and made multiple deposits that got doubled and credited to his bank account,” he said.
He also told the court that, “ Upon his arrest, two iPhone 12 Pro and an iPhone 11 Pro were recovered from him”, being proceeds of the crime.
The prosecution then tendered, in evidence, the statements made by the defendant; the petition received by the EFCC; various correspondences with banks, where the money was transferred to, and the manager’s cheques totalling N611,500.00 issued by the defendant.
They were all admitted in evidence against him, as there was no objection by the defence counsel, M.A. Zulobi.
Abdulmalik, who was given an opportunity to address the court, pleaded for mercy and for a second chance.
The defendant, who claimed to have seen the link in a WhatsApp group, told the court that he had now learnt his lessons.
Justice Abike-Fadipe reprimanded the defendant, who also said that he recently got admission into a university in Kaduna.
The Judge convicted him as charged and sentenced him to one-year imprisonment, with an option of 200 hours community service.
He was also ordered to forfeit the three iPhones as well as the money recovered from him.
