The Acting Zonal Director, Benin Zonal Directorate, Deputy Commander of the EFCC, Sa’ad Hanafi Sa’ad, on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, handed over a bank draft of ₦42 million to Ebesunun Mathew Edonojie, being the sum recovered by operatives of the Commission from fraudsters who defrauded him.
Edonojie, a businessman dealing in cement, had in 2022 petitioned the Commission stating that one Ogiemwonyi Godwin defrauded him of ₦175,392,000.
The petitioner stated that he transferred the sum of ₦350,784,000 to Godwin for the supply of 116 trucks of cement. However, he was supplied with only 58 trucks, leaving an outstanding balance of 58 trucks valued at ₦175,392,000.
During the investigation, operatives discovered that Godwin transferred ₦280 million to Dangote Cement Company but diverted the remaining balance of ₦70 million for his personal use after supplying only 58 trucks.
The suspect subsequently became unreachable, but through the persistent efforts of the Commission’s operatives, ₦116,000,000 was initially recovered and handed over to Edonojie, prior to this recent recovery of an additional ₦42,000,000.
Receiving the draft, Edonojie expressed deep gratitude to the Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, the Acting Zonal Director, Sa’ad Hanafi Sa’ad, and the entire staff of the Directorate for their excellent work. Edonojie admitted that he had completely lost hope of ever recovering the funds after the suspect vanished.
“I lost hope completely. I did not believe I could ever recover the money because the suspect was nowhere to be found. I am more than grateful to the EFCC, the Chairman, the Zonal Director, and the entire team for the good work they are doing. Only God can reward you all. The EFCC has become my saving grace, and I will tell everyone how the Commission saved me. I could not sleep because I borrowed that money, but the EFCC has wiped away my tears,” he said.
Presenting the draft, the Acting Zonal Director assured the public that the Commission will continue to discharge its duties professionally to ensure justice for all.
“We will continue to discharge our duties professionally and responsibly by ensuring that fraudulent individuals do not get away with their crimes and that innocent people do not suffer unjustly,” Sa’ad stated.