The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on  Friday,  April 26,2024 re-arraigned  a former Assistant Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Service,  Bridget Okafor before Justice Venchak .S. Gaba of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT,  High Court, Kuje, Abuja.

Okafor alongside her Company, Bridkass Investment Integrated Limited,  is facing trial  on  13-amended count charges bordering on abuse of office, misappropriation and contract scam to the tune of 1,966,378,045.85 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Sixty-Six Million, Three Hundred and Seventy Eight Thousand, Forty-Five Naira, Eighty-Five Kobo).

Count seven of the charges reads; “That you, BRIDGET CHIENYEZU OKAFOR whilst being employed in the public service as Assistant Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service in charge of Finance and Revenue, sometime in 2014 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did knowingly acquire private interest in contracts awarded by Nigeria Customs Service to NIKOBI INTERNATIONAL, a business enterprise of your son (CHIKWADO OKAFOR) and for which the Nigeria Custom Service paid the gross sum of N329, 021,640.00 (Three Hundred and Twenty Nine Million, Twenty One Thousand, Six Hundred and Forty Naira only) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000”.

She pleaded not guilty to all the thirteen-count charges when they were read to her.

In view of her plea, prosecution counsel, Attah M. Ocholi requested the court to enter the second defendant’s plea as not guilty too since it’s her company.  He however requested for continuation of the testimony of the sixth prosecution witness, PW6, Agid Mohammed.

Mohammed, a detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,  EFCC said the Commission in January 2016 received an intelligence report about valuable items suspected to be proceeds of crime kept at the residence of a former Comptroller General of Customs, late Abdullahi Dikko Inde.

“After receiving the Intel, a surveillance was carried out, and then we obtained a search warrant. We went to the apartment and conducted a search and found incriminating items, and were duly recovered.

“We wrote to the Customs Service and requested a 7 percent cost of collection and 1 percent comprehensive import supervision scheme of 2014-2015, and how it was disbursed. We received and analysed it, and then we wrote to the Customs and invited the first defendant, that is Mrs. Okafor for an interview. She came and volunteered her statement in writing. She was interviewed in a well-ventilated office with windows and other people were present too.”

Testifying further, Mohammed informed the court that the EFCC received another intelligence in January 2016 about other valuable items suspected to be proceeds of crime kept at the residence of a former Comptroller General of Customs, late Abdullahi Dikko Inde. A search was conducted, and incriminating items were recovered.

“Further investigation revealed a fraudulent diversion of over N40 billion from the Nigerian Customs Service in 2014, allegedly involving the first defendant.

“The first defendant was asked if she wanted to volunteer her statement, and she agreed. I then brought out the EFCC statement sheet, and she volunteered a written statement and signed it, and I counter-signed as a witness,” he said.

Asked what they recovered when they secured a search warrant in the first defendant’s home, Mohammed said they recovered various items, including letter-headed papers of companies linked to Okafor’s children in her bedroom.

“The companies, Ponial Interglobal Investment Nigeria Limited, Nikobi International Limited, Tabes Concept International Limited, Bridkass Investment Integrated  Limited and Guap Properties and Realtors Services Limited, were all linked to the first defendant’s children, and they executed contracts with the Nigerian Customs Service and received payments”, he said.

The witness also disclosed that Okafor was the signatory to various bank accounts and had influence over the award of contracts in the Nigerian Customs Service because she was still in active service when the contracts were awarded.

“My Lord the first defendant was still the Assistant Comptroller General of Customs when the contracts were executed, and she reported to the Deputy Comptroller General, Finance, Administration, and Technical Services, whose office is saddled with the responsibility of awarding contracts in the Nigerian Customs Service.”

After listening to the testimony of Mohammed, Justice Gaba adjourned the matter until June 26, 2024, for cross-examination and continuation of the trial.

Okafor was first arraigned on May 19, 2019 before the same judge in FCT High Court,  Kwali before he was transferred to Kuje FCT High Court.

The Police Command in Niger has arrested three suspects over alleged thuggery and illegal possession of prohibited firearms.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Shawulu Dan-Mamman,  disclosed this in Minna on Wednesday.

Dan-Mamman said that the three suspects were arrested with dangerous weapons and some weeds suspected to be Indian hemp in Maitumbi, Minna.

According to him, the suspects were arrested at about 1:00 a.m. on April 30, during a raid in the Corpers lodge area led by the DPO of Maitumbi Division in collaboration with vigilante members following a distress call.

“When we received the distressed call, our patrol team of Operation Flush with vigilante members, led by the DPO rushed to the area and successfully arrested the suspects.

“The suspects were known for thuggery and the use of dangerous weapons to terrorise the residents of the area,” he said.

The CP further said that the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other accomplices at large.

Dan-Mamman, however, advised parents and guardians to keep close  watch on their wards and caution them  against getting involved in crime that would incur the wrath of the law.

23 individuals have been sentenced to various jail terms for offences bordering on Internet fraud.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to the statement, the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC secured the conviction and sentence of twenty-three (23) internet fraudsters to various jail terms before Justices K.B. Olawoyin, Ladiran Akintola, O.A. Adetujoye and O.A. Lajide of the Oyo State High Court  Ibadan; Justice Mashkur Salisu of the Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo and Justice E.U. Akpan of the Federal High Court, Ibadan.

The convicts are Awopetu Damilola Tope, Ayanwola Omotayo Olaoluwa, Azeez Ibrahim Olamide, Adeyinka Wande Ajayi, Dada Segun David, Toyyib Olawale Abiola, Oyewo Ayomide Solomon, Opeloyeru Ishaq Abayomi, Victor Okotie, Najeem Mujeeb Olalekan, Areagbo Taiwo Oladimeji and Owolabi Sodiq Imoleayo,

Others are Gilbert Izuchukwu Ebuenyi, Anthony Lucky Daniel, Gbadegesin Nurudeen Opeyemi, Oladokun Quadri Akolade, Oluwamuyiwa Emmanuel Adeleye, Andrew Olasunkanmi Omotehinse, Bamidele Olusoji Joseph, Babatunde Ayomide Yinus, Ayinde Lanre Gbolahan, Ayanwola Tobi Gbenga and Ajibade Samuel Oluwafemi.

They were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count separate charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, possession of fraudulent documents, personation and aiding in committing an offence upon arraignment by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC between March 20 and April 24, 2024.

The charge against Andrew Olasunkanmi reads: “That you, Andrew Olasunkanmi ‘M’ on or about 14th June, 2023, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated by representing yourself to be a white woman by the name Jesse from United States of America, through hook-up site (www.liscrawler.com) to one Joel, with intent to obtain benefits for yourself and gained advantage of the total sum of $1,500 (One Thousand, Five Hundred United States of America Dollars), a pretext which you knew to be false, thereby committed the offence of Personation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

All the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges when they were read to them in court, as prosecution counsel, A.M. Aliyu, Lanre Suleiman, Mabas Mabur, Umar Abiso, Shamsuddeen Bashir, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, David Olubode, Fatima Baba and Favour Adewunmi prayed the court to convict and sentence  them accordingly.

Justice Olawoyin convicted and sentenced Daniel to three years imprisonment or a fine of N1, 000, 000.00 (One Million Naira), Olasunkanmi to one year jail term or a fine of N200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira), Opeyemi to six months imprisonment or a fine of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) while Tope, Olaoluwa, Olamide, and Ajayi bagged six months community service each or a fine of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) each.

Furthermore, Justice Akpan convicted and sentenced Akolade to one and a half years imprisonment without an option and fine and ordered him to pay the sum of N550, 000.00 (Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) as restitution, while Justice Salisu convicted and sentenced Adeleye to one year jail term or a fine of N500, 000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira).

Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced David, Abiola, Solomon and Abayomi to one year imprisonment each or a fine of N50, 000.00 (Fifty Thousand Naira) each, and Joseph to three months community service or a fine of N30, 000.00 (Thirty Thousand Naira).

Also, Justice Lajide convicted and sentenced Ebuenyi to six months community service but was given an option of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine.

Also,  Justice Adetujoye convicted and remanded Okotie, Olalekan, Oladimeji, Imoleayo, Yinus, Gbolahan, Gbenga and Oluwafemi in the Correctional Centre for two weeks. However, they were cautioned, warned and discharged by the court.

Daniel forfeited one green Toyota Camry vehicle with registration number: FST – 716 – OJA and chassis number: 4T1BK4619U587040, Okotie forfeited N2, 300, 000. 00 (Two Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira), Oladimeji forfeited N830, 000.00 (Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira), while Yinus forfeited N174, 000.00 (One Hundred and Forty-seven Thousand Naira) among others to the Federal Government of Nigeria.