Lagos: Two fake EFCC operatives bag 46 years jail term

By Adeyanju Esther

Justice O.O. Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja has sentenced Ugwu Pascal Chijioke and Ibrahim Sadiq Adekunle to 46 years imprisonment for impersonating Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives.

The duo executed a fake court order and were re-arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC on five amended charges, including impersonation, attempting to obtain property, possessing documents containing false pretences, and unlawfully wearing EFCC uniforms.

One charge stated that on May 12, 2021, Chijioke and Adekunle attempted to defraud Oriyomi Johnson by falsely claiming a Chief Magistrate Court in Lagos had ordered the seizure of property at New Horizon Estate, Lekki. Another charge stated they wore jackets with the EFCC mark, implying they were authorised EFCC officials.

Both pleaded guilty to the charges. The prosecution, represented by Abdulhamid Lamido Tukur, reviewed the case’s facts, proving the defendants’ guilt and urging the court to convict them.

Justice Abike-Fadipe sentenced each defendant to seven years for counts one to three, one year for count four, and eight months for count five, with the sentences running concurrently.

They were arrested in May 2021 during an illegal operation at New Horizon Estate. Items recovered included fake EFCC ID cards, jackets, and a falsified court order.

Initially arraigned on October 12, 2021, Chijioke and Adekunle had pleaded not guilty before changing their plea.