• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
    • Government
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
    • Mohammed Idris Malagi, Honorable Minister of Information and National Orientation

      FG Reaffirms Non-Interference in ICPC, EFCC Operations

      ICPC Secures Conviction of Rector for Running Unaccredited Degree Programmes

      Engr Abba Babagana Dalori

      Engr Dalori Forfeits Galaxy Hospital, Petrol Station, Properties & Cash

      Chinese nationals jailed in Lagos

      Court Jails Nine Chinese Nationals for Cybercrime in Lagos

      ASUU

      Tackle Corruption, Institutional Decay – ASUU Charges FG

  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
    • Customs Generates N3.7trn in H1 2025 as FG Targets Enhanced Private…

      Customs Gets 4 New Deputy Comptrollers-General, 12 ACGs, Promotes 3,312 Officers

      DG NITDA Inuwa Kashifu at the GITEX Nigeria

      Sanwo-Olu, Tijani, Kashifu Urge Digital Innovation as GITEX Nigeria Opens

      Members of National Regional Development

      FG Inaugurates Boards, Management Teams of Three Regional Development Commissions

      Trade Facilitation: Nigeria Customs, NACCIMA Strengthen Partnership

  • National
    • President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

      Tinubu Orders Mandatory Health Insurance Implementation Across MDAs

      Maj-Gen. Adamu Laka. image. Google

      Nigeria Records 775 Terrorism Convictions in Eight Phases of Trials –…

      Customs Generates N3.7trn in H1 2025 as FG Targets Enhanced Private…

      Her Child Nearly Died Because She Skipped a Vaccine By Hafsat…

      Chairman of the National Steering Committee of the Partnership Against Violent Extremism (PAVE) Network, Jaye Gaskia,

      Nigeria Needs Peace Education, Community Investment to Tackle Extremism – PAVE…

    • Government
      • President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

        Tinubu Orders Mandatory Health Insurance Implementation Across MDAs

        Customs Generates N3.7trn in H1 2025 as FG Targets Enhanced Private…

        New Education Curriculum: Full List of JSS, SS Subjects

        Tinubu Orders Overhaul of Katsina Security Operation, Hints at State Police

        Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo

        Eid-ul-Maulud: FG Declares Friday Public Holiday

  • Security
    • Maj-Gen. Adamu Laka. image. Google

      Nigeria Records 775 Terrorism Convictions in Eight Phases of Trials –…

      Customs Generates N3.7trn in H1 2025 as FG Targets Enhanced Private…

      Chairman of the National Steering Committee of the Partnership Against Violent Extremism (PAVE) Network, Jaye Gaskia,

      Nigeria Needs Peace Education, Community Investment to Tackle Extremism – PAVE…

      Military Troops during operations

      Security Forces Destroy IPOB/ESN Camp in Anambra Intelligence-led Operation

      court Judiciary

      DSS Arraigns 9 Suspects over Benue, Plateau Killings

  • Features
    • Her Child Nearly Died Because She Skipped a Vaccine By Hafsat…

      Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai

      El-Rufai and the Politics of Shifting Loyalties, by Kabir Akintayo

      VIP Convoys and the Tragedy of Everyday Nigerians By Kabir…

      The Arrest of Ansaru Kingpins Mahmud Muhammad Usman aka Abu Bara’a, and Mahmud al-Nigeri aka Mallam Mamuda

      Nigeria’s Giant Leap Against Terrorism and the Fall of Ansaru Leaders,…

      Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa CDS

      CDS Musa Launches Operation Enduring Peace, Tasks Troops to ‘Win Peace,…

  • State
    • Military Troops during operations

      Security Forces Destroy IPOB/ESN Camp in Anambra Intelligence-led Operation

      court Judiciary

      DSS Arraigns 9 Suspects over Benue, Plateau Killings

      Military Troops during operations

      Troops Eliminate Bandits, Recover Rustled Cattle in Kaduna

      NPF Headquarters Bompai Kano

      Kano Police Bust Kidnap Syndicate, Arrest Suspects

      Police Officer

      Police Neutralize Armed Robber on Zaria-Kano Highway, Arrest Notorious Suspect

  • Event
    • Vice President Kashim Shettima and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

      Shettima at 59: Tinubu Hails VP’s Loyalty, Commitment to Service

      Erasmus Ikhide damaged Vehicle and Dangote Cement Truck

      Erasmus Ikhide Narrowly Escapes Death in Collision with Dangote Truck

      Supporters of Senator Shehu Buba

      PHOTOS: Bauchi Constituents Rally APC to Draft Senator Buba for 2027…

      The authors and their books

      PHOTOS: NIPR Hails Latest PRNigeria Books at Economic Confidential Lecture

      Alh. Yushau Shuaib, Brig Gen. (rtd) Chris Olukolade and Mallam Kashifu Inuwa

      NITDA, IMPR Spotlight AI as Driver of Nigeria’s Digital Future at…

    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Home National Family of US-detained Nigerian Man cries out, seeks FG’s intervention
  • National

Family of US-detained Nigerian Man cries out, seeks FG’s intervention

By
Prnigeria
-
December 16, 2018
Abike Dabiri CEO NIDCOM
Abike Dabiri CEO NIDCOM

Family of US-detained Nigerian Man cries out, seeks FG’s intervention

When Mr. Ayodeji Ojo, a middle-aged man, visited the United States of America (USA), in August 2016, together with his wife and two other persons, Mr. Olufolajimi Ayodeji Abegunde, a Nigerian resident in Atlanta, Georgia, out of caring friendship and affectionate compassion, warmly hosted and accommodated his friend, and his immediate family members.

But that act of brotherly love and kind generosity will soon turn out to be his greatest undoing, as Olufolajimi, few months after, was arrested and has been in detention in US, since February this year.

PRNigeria gathered that Olufolajimi, 32, had gone to make a date-change for a proposed trip to the Dominican Republic at the Hartsfield Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, on 7 February 2018, when the Airport’s officials arrested him as he was about to leave.

They accused him of attempting to flee the country on account of a Federal Indictment by FBI in August 2017.

He was thereafter charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.

According to Anjolaoluwa Abegunde, the brother to the detained Olufolajimi, the genesis of the worrisome incident began in 2016 after Mr. Ojo and his family visited US.

“He was selflessly accommodated by my younger brother, Olufolajimi, for some days,” Anjolaoluwa said, adding that: ‘’It happened that Mr. Ojo, during his trip, needed to withdraw some cash from his Bank of America account. However, the account had been closed by the bank authorities.

“So the only option left available for him to access the money domiciled in the account was to open a new account. My younger brother offered to help by providing his residential address as part of requirements for a new account to be opened. But sometimes around August 2017, two special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) stormed his US apartment and questioned him on issues related to fraud and money laundering.’’

He further stated that though the FBI, without any judicial pronouncement, indicted his brother in August 2017 after invading his home. He wasn’t at any time arrested or summoned by America’s security personnel.

He said his younger brother, Olufolajimi, freely moved about and carried out his personal commitments without let or hindrance, up till February 7 when he was finally arrested.

When asked if Mr. Ojo, who stayed with his brother, may actually have engaged in fraudulent activities while opening a new account using Olufolajimi’s US home address, Anjolaoluwa, who is also a lawyer, described Mr. Ojo as a responsible and young man of good moral character.

Read Also:

  • Tinubu Orders Mandatory Health Insurance Implementation Across MDAs
  • Nigeria Records 775 Terrorism Convictions in Eight Phases of Trials – Gen. Laka
  • Customs Generates N3.7trn in H1 2025 as FG Targets Enhanced Private Sector Growth

‘’Mr. Ojo is someone who is well known to our family. We have never known him to be a dubious, criminal or fraudulent. Hence, we are very confident he didn’t do anything illicit, though my brother’s ordeal started after his visit to US sometimes in 2016’’, he added.

In a phone chat with PRNigeria, Mrs. Oluseyi Abegunde, mother of Olufolajimi, said her son was initially detained in Atlanta while his bond application came up.

‘’The bond was however denied, and he was moved to Tennessee, where he has been held at the Dyton Detention Facility in Mason. Efforts made to appeal the earlier bond application dragged on from February until June 25, 2018 when it was again denied. Then, the trial was fixed for October 9, 2018. In the intervening period between June and the proposed trial date, a superseding Indictment came up with, ‘Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Money laundering conspiracy, Marriage Fraud conspiracy and Witness Tampering’ as the new offences my son was accused to have committed. The new charges were due for hearing on December 10, 2018. The earlier charge of aggravated identity theft however was dropped, as it is not contained in the superseding indictment’’, she added.

The utterly traumatized mother, said amidst grief, that the ugly issue has seriously traumatized her and the entire members of her family.

Mrs. Abegunde said: ‘’It has been emotionally terrible for me, in view of the fact that I have had to raise Olufolajimi from age 6 when he lost his father in 1992. My family has had to endure the agonizing experience of long-drawn appearances in court, coupled with the unfortunate experience with pick and drop legal representations on whom we have spent all our resources.’’

She said as part of efforts to get her son quickly released from continued incarceration, she had in November written a letter to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Diaspora Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, seeking her benevolent intervention and assistance, considering the fact her son has been detained for over 9 months now.

Meanwhile, a correspondence from Mrs. Abegunde had, on November 7, been forwarded the Consular-General, Nigerian Consulate, in Atlanta, Georgia.

But PRNigeria gathered that her letter which was dated November 15, and received by an official of the National Diaspora Commission, is yet to be replied.

Attempts to get Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa to speak on the efforts been made by her Commission to resolve the issue diplomatically were unsuccessful at the time of going to press.

Several calls put to her mobile number and also a text message sent by our reporter were not responded to.

By PRNigeria

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • Abike Dabiri-Erewa
  • Olufolajimi Ayodeji Abegunde
  • USA
Previous articleAnti-Corruption Groups Urge General Buratai to Account for Army’s Spending on Operations
Next articleGudumbali: Military Repel Terrorists, Loses Soldier
Prnigeria
Prnigeria
http://www.PRNigeria.com

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu Orders Mandatory Health Insurance Implementation Across MDAs

Maj-Gen. Adamu Laka. image. Google

Nigeria Records 775 Terrorism Convictions in Eight Phases of Trials – Gen. Laka

Customs Generates N3.7trn in H1 2025 as FG Targets Enhanced Private Sector Growth

Her Child Nearly Died Because She Skipped a Vaccine By Hafsat Ibrahim

Chairman of the National Steering Committee of the Partnership Against Violent Extremism (PAVE) Network, Jaye Gaskia,

Nigeria Needs Peace Education, Community Investment to Tackle Extremism – PAVE Network 

New Education Curriculum: Full List of JSS, SS Subjects

court Judiciary

DSS Arraigns 9 Suspects over Benue, Plateau Killings

Nigerian Police Force

Anambra Police Foil Lynching of Murder Suspect, Launch Full Investigation

Armed Forces of Nigeria

Court Voids Military’s 15-Year Mandatory Service Rule Before Resignations

Maj-Gen. Adamu Laka. image. Google

NCTC Urges Forensic and Non-Military Strategies in Regional Fight Against Terrorism

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack,

Civil Service Gets New Framework for Training and Talent Management

Tinubu Orders Overhaul of Katsina Security Operation, Hints at State Police

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Log in to leave a comment

Recent Posts

  • Tinubu Orders Mandatory Health Insurance Implementation Across MDAs
  • Nigeria Records 775 Terrorism Convictions in Eight Phases of Trials – Gen. Laka
  • Customs Generates N3.7trn in H1 2025 as FG Targets Enhanced Private Sector Growth
  • Her Child Nearly Died Because She Skipped a Vaccine By Hafsat Ibrahim
  • Nigeria Needs Peace Education, Community Investment to Tackle Extremism – PAVE Network 
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Tinubu Orders Mandatory Health Insurance Implementation Across MDAsNigeria Records 775 Terrorism Convictions in Eight Phases of Trials - Gen. LakaCustoms Generates N3.7trn in H1 2025 as FG Targets Enhanced Private Sector GrowthHer Child Nearly Died Because She Skipped a Vaccine By Hafsat IbrahimNigeria Needs Peace Education, Community Investment to Tackle Extremism – PAVE Network New Education Curriculum: Full List of JSS, SS SubjectsSecurity Forces Destroy IPOB/ESN Camp in Anambra Intelligence-led OperationDSS Arraigns 9 Suspects over Benue, Plateau KillingsAnambra Police Foil Lynching of Murder Suspect, Launch Full InvestigationFG Reaffirms Non-Interference in ICPC, EFCC OperationsEl-Rufai and the Politics of Shifting Loyalties, by Kabir AkintayoCourt Voids Military’s 15-Year Mandatory Service Rule Before ResignationsNCTC Urges Forensic and Non-Military Strategies in Regional Fight Against TerrorismTroops Eliminate Bandits, Recover Rustled Cattle in KadunaKano Police Bust Kidnap Syndicate, Arrest Suspects
X whatsapp