• 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
    • 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

      EFCC Arraigns Bauchi Accountant General Over N8bn Fraud as Court Sentences…

  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
    • Members of National Regional Development

      FG Inaugurates Boards, Management Teams of Three Regional Development Commissions

      Trade Facilitation: Nigeria Customs, NACCIMA Strengthen Partnership

      Economic Confidential to Host 3rd Public Lecture, Unveil Books on Nigeria’s…

      Luanda Summit: AUDA-NEPAD Taps AI, Green Bonds as it Launches Marketplace…

      Tinubu Jets to Brazil After Japan Summit, Eyes Trade, Security Deals

  • National
    • Military Foil Terrorist Attacks in Sokoto, Katsina

      Former IGP Solomon Arase Dies at 69

      ECOWAS, Nigeria Urged to Tackle Epidemic of Enforced Disappearances

      NDLEA Logo

      NDLEA Arrests 75-Year-Old Grandpa, Destroys Cannabis Farm in Taraba, Seizes Millions…

      Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo

      Para-Military Agencies Get 12-Month Deadline to Deliver Reforms

    • Government
      • ECOWAS, Nigeria Urged to Tackle Epidemic of Enforced Disappearances

        Supporters of Senator Shehu Buba

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

        Pantami Foundation Pays Outstanding Fees for Gombe Students at BUK

        Almajiri

        TRAVELOGUE: Kaduna Almajiris and A Parley Inside Arewa Forum’s House By…

        PRNigeria logo fearured image

        OHCSF Celebrates 57 Retirees for Exemplary Service and Dedication

  • Security
    • Military Foil Terrorist Attacks in Sokoto, Katsina

      Egungun Festival

      Lagos Police Restrict Egungun Festival Activities to Designated Locations

      Former IGP Solomon Arase Dies at 69

      Nigerian Police Force

      Police Arrest Kidnappers, Recover Arms, N6.9m in A’Ibom, Nasarawa

      NDLEA Logo

      NDLEA Arrests 75-Year-Old Grandpa, Destroys Cannabis Farm in Taraba, Seizes Millions…

  • Features
    • Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa CDS

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

      Almajiri

      TRAVELOGUE: Kaduna Almajiris and A Parley Inside Arewa Forum’s House By…

      Armed officers of the Mining Marshals

      ‎NSCDC at the Heart of Nigeria’s Mining Sector Revival ‎By Zekeri…

      Nigerian Youths

      National Unity as Nigeria’s Strongest Development Tool, By Mukhtar Ya’u…

      How Security Forces Calmed, Secured, and Evacuated Passengers after Kaduna-Abuja Train…

  • State
    • Military Foil Terrorist Attacks in Sokoto, Katsina

      Egungun Festival

      Lagos Police Restrict Egungun Festival Activities to Designated Locations

      Former IGP Solomon Arase Dies at 69

      Nigerian Police Force

      Police Arrest Kidnappers, Recover Arms, N6.9m in A’Ibom, Nasarawa

      NDLEA Logo

      NDLEA Arrests 75-Year-Old Grandpa, Destroys Cannabis Farm in Taraba, Seizes Millions…

  • Event
    • 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…

      DICON and DMG Events to Co-Host AFRIDEX 2026

      DICON, DMG Events to Co-Host Africa Defence Exhibition 2026

    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Home Anti-Corruption Maina, Son Remanded in Custody as EFCC Smashes ‘419’ Syndicate that Defrauded...
  • Anti-Corruption

Maina, Son Remanded in Custody as EFCC Smashes ‘419’ Syndicate that Defrauded Foreign Based Nigerians

By
Wilson Uwujaren
-
October 25, 2019

EFCC Smashes ‘419’ Syndicate that Defrauded a Professor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has cracked down on a gang of fraudsters who specialise in exploiting personal data of foreign-based Nigerians to defraud their friends and relations back home.

Four of the gang-members – ‘Hon.’ Oladipupo Adebayo, Bimbo Bilewu, Ibrahim Odunayo and Oyeleye Oluwatosi – are currently in the EFCC custody. Others are still at large.

The Commission had launched a manhunt on the suspects after receiving a petition from one Prof Godwin Ekhaguere.

The professor of Mathematics, who retired from the University of Ibadan, alleged in the petition that the gang defrauded him of sums totalling N565,500 (Five Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand, Five Hundred Naira). He also alleged that the fraudsters made him to part with MTN recharge vouchers worth N36,000 (Thirty-Six Thousand Naira) in the deal.

According to him, he only realised that he had been scammed after he managed to reach his friends on the phone, who denied sending anyone to him. That prompted the petition.

It was in the course of investigating the allegations that the Commission arrested Bilewu at an ATM point where he went to cash the money sent to him by one Pastor Osuji.

Incidentally, Osuji was also a victim of a crime similar to that which the Commission was investigating.

The gang’s patterns of operation are similar in nature. One of them would call their would-be victim with the impression that he was an old-time friend, now based abroad. He would claim that he has a mouth-watering gift to be sent through someone who is allegedly coming home for an event. The victim would then be handed over to the ‘home-bound’ member. He would be the one to make all sorts of requests ostensibly to clear some obstacles to delivering the consignments from the foreign-based ‘relation’ or ‘friend’, as the case may be.

Investigations into the gang’s operations revealed that they have a mobile application used in making a local number appear foreign to the call recipient.

They also use unregistered SIM cards to make their calls in order to blur out chances of tracing their real identities.

Another trick to evade arrest, according to investigations, was to open bank accounts in other people’s names and take over the ATM cards from them. They direct their victims to pay into such accounts and use the ATM cards to withdraw the cash.

The suspects have owned up to the allegations against them, and are now helping the Commission in further investigations into crimes of similar nature.

Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
……………………………………………..

N2bn Fraud: Court Remands Maina in Prison

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja on October 25, 2019, ordered that Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team be remanded in Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), while his son, Faisal was remanded in the custody of Police Special Tactical Squad, Asokoro, Abuja.

The remand, followed their arraignment on multiple fraud and money laundering charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. While Maina was docked on a 12-count charge, bordering on operating fictitious bank accounts, fraud and money laundering, his son was slammed with three-counts of money laundering, corruption and lack of full disclosure of asset.

Read Also:

  • Military Foil Terrorist Attacks in Sokoto, Katsina
  • Lagos Police Restrict Egungun Festival Activities to Designated Locations
  • Former IGP Solomon Arase Dies at 69

Count 10 of the charges against Maina reads: “That you Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina (alias Dr Abdullahi Faizal) between 2012 and 2016, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, took possession of an aggregate sum of N1,822,074,690.00 (One Billion, Eight Hundred and Twenty-two Million, Seventy-four Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety Naira), through your Fidelity Bank account (in the name of Dr Abdullahi A. Faizal), when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds, formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: corruption, and you hereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as (amended) and punishable under Section15(3) of the same Act.”

Count two of the charges against Faisal reads: “That you Faisal Abdulrasheed Maina, (alias Alh Faisal Abdullahi Farms), between October 2013 and June 2019, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, controlled an aggregate sum of N58, 111,585.00 (Fifty-eight Million, One Hundred and Eleven Thousand, Five Hundred and Eighty-five Naira) only, paid through the United Bank for Africa (UBA) account of Alh. Faisal Abdullahi Farms, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: corruption of one Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina, who is facing a separate charge and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as (amended) and punishable under Section15(3) and (4) of the same Act.”

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to their separate charges, prompting the prosecution counsel, M.S. Abubakar to inform the court that he has his witnesses in court in readiness to commence trial.

However, the defence counsel, led by Ahmed Raji SAN, informed the court that there was a pending bail application, filed since October 22, which was due to be heard. He further argued that the defendants are entitled to adequate time to prepare for their defence.

But the prosecuting counsel, Abubakar described the bail applications as incompetent because it was filed before arraignment.

The Court however adjourned the matter to October 30 2019 for commencement of trial and that proceedings shall be on day-to-day basis.

Maina who had been hibernating in Dubai, United Emirates after he fled Nigeria in 2015 to escape arrest by the EFCC, sneaked into the country recently and was arrested, together with his son, Faisal, at a hotel in Jabi, Abuja by officers of the Department of State Service,DSS, on the request by the EFCC.

Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, Abuja had on Tuesday October 22, 2019 ordered the temporary forfeiture of 23 choice properties linked to the defendant. The order was based on an exparte application by the EFCC, which argued in sworn affidavits, that the properties are believed to be proceeds of the illicit activities of the defendant. Consequently, the court ordered the Commission to cause a publication to be made in a national newspaper, inviting the defendant or any other person with interest in the properties to show cause, within 14 days, why the assets should not be finally forfeited to the federal government.

The properties include: Plot MF 19, Cadastral Zone, Karu, Abuja FCT. Acquired in mother’s name; Plot 18 Road F, Malali North East Residential Layout. Kaduna ;Flat 42C, SMC Quarters, Unguwan Dosa, Kaduna, Kaduna State. Acquired in suspected pseudo name; Plot No 965, Gwarimpa 1 District, Cadestral Zone, Abuja; Duplex Located at No.16 A Katuru Road, Kaduna; 52B, SMC Quarters, Unguwan Dosa, Lot 016 Comprising of 3-bedrooms semi detached bungalow, Kaduna; Property at Tola Street, Badarawa, Kaduna, comprising of 3-bedroom and an undeveloped land; Plot Y12, Kano Street, Kawo New Extension, Kaduna; a duplex at No. 21, 52 Crescent Kubwa Phase IV Estate, Abuja; House 8, 211 Road, A Close, FHA Estate, (3 bedrooms bungalow) Abuja and Farm at Dorawa, Karshi Development Area, Karu LGA, Nasarawa State.

Others are: Farm at Dorawa, Karshi Development Area, Karu LGA Nasarawa State. Karu LGA, Nasarawa state; Plot 3A, Sambo Road Unguwan Rimi (comprising uncompleted buildings), Kaduna; Property located at 16B/BG Gombe Road, Biu, Biu LGA, Borno State; Plot MF-27A, new Pasali Layout, Kuje, Kuje Area Council, Abuja; Plot 1B Ajayi Road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna; Block 23, Flat 2 located at Life Camp (2 bedrooms semi detached), Abuja; Property at No. 62, A/C Maternity Ward, Damaturu Road, Biu, Biu LGA, Borno State; Plot of CofO Bo/426 beacon B5086, B5087, B5105, B5104, B5099 Cadestral Zone B05 Utako, Abuja; Plot 37, Kinshasha Road, Maiduguri, Borno State; No 16 Dabai Road off Mangoro Road, Sokoto, Sokoto State; No. 13, Korau Road, Nasarawa District, Kano, Kano State and Plot 965 Cadastral Zone, CO2, Gwarimpa. Abuja.

Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity

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
  • efcc
  • Maina
  • Pastor Osuji
Previous articleWilliams, Alemika demand security overhaul at Caleb Varsity’s summit
Next articleRuthless Operation: Troops Neutralise 5 Bandits, Nab 4 Kidnap Syndicate in Kaduna, Imo
Wilson Uwujaren
Wilson Uwujaren
https://prnigeria.com
PRNigeria is the pioneer Press Release Distribution agency in Nigeria. A member of image Merchant Promotions limited, PRNigeria encourages individuals and organisations to be more transparent in their information management. with dedicated Editorial staffs, the PRNigeria ensures that information provided on its platforms are timely, factual and authoritative Read more at: //prnigeria.com/about/
Facebook Twitter

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

FACT-CHECK: Did Kwara Police Nab King of Alabe, Queen and Babanla Monarch With over ₦120m Banditry Loot?

Remain bodies of the ISWAP Fighters after teh Air precious

Troops Kill 12 ISWAP Fighters in Borno, Foil More Attacks in North-East

Nigerians to Receive Passports Within 7 Days, Says Interior Minister

Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo

FG Unveils 8.3 Petabyte Data Centre to Power Digital Identity, Immigration Systems

DHQ Committee during a visit to Theatre Command Maiduguri for Joint Defence Doctrine Review

DHQ Committee Visits Theatre Command Maiduguri for Joint Defence Doctrine Review

The authors and their books

PHOTOS: NIPR Hails Latest PRNigeria Books at Economic Confidential Lecture

Nigerian Youths

National Unity as Nigeria’s Strongest Development Tool, By Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi

BREAKING: Immigration Announces Upward Review for Passport Fees to N100,000, N200,000

Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa CDS

Nigeria Wins Hosting Rights for International Defence Expo 2026

Group photograph of VP Kashim Shettima, CDS General Musa, Minister Bello Matewale and Africa Chief of Defence Staff.

Africa’s Defence Chiefs Champion AI, Youth Empowerment in War on Extremism

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu Vows Tech-Driven Development, Food Security, Urges Diaspora Participation

FG to Spend N750bn on Pension Bond, Expands Free Medical Services for Civil Servants

Recent Posts

  • Military Foil Terrorist Attacks in Sokoto, Katsina
  • Lagos Police Restrict Egungun Festival Activities to Designated Locations
  • Former IGP Solomon Arase Dies at 69
  • ECOWAS, Nigeria Urged to Tackle Epidemic of Enforced Disappearances
  • Police Arrest Kidnappers, Recover Arms, N6.9m in A’Ibom, Nasarawa
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Military Foil Terrorist Attacks in Sokoto, KatsinaLagos Police Restrict Egungun Festival Activities to Designated LocationsFormer IGP Solomon Arase Dies at 69ECOWAS, Nigeria Urged to Tackle Epidemic of Enforced DisappearancesPolice Arrest Kidnappers, Recover Arms, N6.9m in A'Ibom, NasarawaNDLEA Arrests 75-Year-Old Grandpa, Destroys Cannabis Farm in Taraba, Seizes Millions of Pills NationwideLagos Police Bust Car Theft Syndicate, Recover Stolen BusFACT-CHECK: Did Kwara Police Nab King of Alabe, Queen and Babanla Monarch With over ₦120m Banditry Loot?Troops Kill 12 ISWAP Fighters in Borno, Foil More Attacks in North-EastPara-Military Agencies Get 12-Month Deadline to Deliver ReformsErasmus Ikhide Narrowly Escapes Death in Collision with Dangote TruckTroops Sustain Offensive Against Bandits, Eliminate Scores in North West, North Central RegionsFCT Police Arrest 10 Suspected Drug Dealers, Recover Drugs, Kidnapping ProceedsSecurity Forces Bust Child Trafficking Syndicate, Arrest 5 Suspects in A'IbomPHOTOS: Bauchi Constituents Rally APC to Draft Senator Buba for 2027 Governorship Race
X whatsapp