The development came when the State Coordinator of the NIMC Gombe State, Maryam Sarki Othman paid a courtesy visit to the Gombe Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC , Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACEI Austine Adache in his office in Gombe State.

Othman said the the visit was aimed at strenthening the existing mutual partnership between her agency and the EFCC, particularly in the areas of identity verification and collaborative efforts to eradicate identity theft in Nigeria.

She assured the EFCC of her agency’s unrelented support in its fight against economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption.

Responding, Adache commended the NIMC for its support over the years and expressed optimism that the collaboration between the two agencies would be taken a notch higher.u in

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The recovery followed a petition submitted by Prudent Energy and Services Limited, alleging that petroleum products entrusted to Ibafon Oil and Gas for storage had been unlawfully converted, resulting in a significant shortfall in the company’s stock.

The petitioner also alleged that periodic withdrawals were made from the stored products until the outstanding balance stood at 2,574,031 litres.

However, during a subsequent physical measurement and reconciliation exercise, only 206,761 litres remained in the storage tanks, leaving a deficit of 2,367,270 litres.

Investigation revealed that Ibafon Oil and Gas is involved in the purchase and sale of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and also stores its petroleum products at the same depot alongside products belonging to its customers.

It was further revealed that Ibru allegedly used his position as the owner of Ibafon Oil and Gas to truck out petroleum products in excess of the quantity owned by the company, thereby converting the petitioner’s products for his own use.

Following the Commission’s intervention, the suspect handed over the recovered products to the petitioner, Prudent Energy and Services Limited.

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The engagement, which unfolded as a high-level interactive dialogue brought together the agency’s state leadership and the Board’s top echelon. The ICPC delegation, steered by the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Mr Linus Gubbi, utilised the forum to dissect the tenets of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy, framing it not as a punitive instrument but as a blueprint for sustainable institutional renaissance.

Addressing the assembly, Mr Gubbi delivered a stark warning that the basic education sub-sector, as the very bedrock of national development, must remain impervious to predatory practices. He identified the diversion of instructional materials, the perpetuation of ghost-worker syndromes, and procurement irregularities as existential threats that compromise learning outcomes and squander scarce state and Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds.

In a supplementary technical paper titled “Anti-Corruption and Work Ethics in Organisations”, Assistant Chief Superintendent Abba Dzikwi expanded the definition of corrupt conduct beyond the venality of financial theft. He stressed that administrative indiscipline, chronic absenteeism, and wilful neglect of due process are equally corrosive, undermining service delivery and eroding public confidence in governance structures.

The BOSUBEB team, led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Dr Hyelni Haruna Mshelia, and including the Governor’s Special Adviser on Education, Alhaji Ali Makinta, and Permanent Member I, Hajj. Hauwa Ngoma, actively participated in a robust question-and-answer session. Concerns regarding project monitoring, the safety of whistleblowers, and the operational mechanics of reporting malfeasance were candidly addressed, with the ICPC offering assurances of confidentiality and a commitment to expedite investigative follow-ups.

In a notable outcome, the Board management formalised its dedication to probity by pledging to establish an Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) to serve as a dedicated liaison and internal watchdog. This commitment was reinforced by the presentation of educational resources and reporting channel guides from the Commission, designed to empower staff at all levels to act as custodians of integrity.

Dr Mshelia, in her closing remarks, expressed profound appreciation for the ICPC’s proactive engagement and reaffirmed the Board’s zero-tolerance stance on all forms of corruption. She articulated a vision of an education administration that not only delivers equitable learning opportunities but does so through a lens of uncompromising accountability, ensuring that every kobo allocated translates into tangible benefits for the children of Borno.

The visit concluded a week of intensified oversight activities by the ICPC in the North-East, signalling a renewed focus on safeguarding public institutions from the deleterious effects of graft. As the newly formed ACTU takes shape, stakeholders will be watching closely to see if this pledge of transparency translates into enduring reform for the state’s most crucial public service.

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Count one reads: “That you Mahwash Benedict Luka while being the Managing Director of Bennicle Investment Limited on 29th day of November 2023 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court did issue a First City Monument Bank Plc Cheque with Cheque no 0024633617with the face value of N10,000,000 to First Bank Nigeria Plc, which when presented was dishonored due to insufficient funds and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) of the Dishonored Cheques Act and punishable under Section 1(i) (ii) of the same Act.”

Count two reads: “That you Mahwash Benedict Luka while being the Managing Director of Bennicle Investment Limited on 29th day of August 2016 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court did issue Sterling Bank Plc Cheque with Cheque no 60911474 with the face value of N10,000,000.00 to First Bank Nigeria Limited, which when presented was dishonored due to insufficient funds and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) of the Dishonored Cheques Act and punishable under Section 1(i) (i) of the same Act.”

The 1st defendant Mahwash Benedict Luka on behalf of himself and Bennicle Investment Nigeria Limited pleaded not guilty to the two counts preferred against them.

The matter was subsequently adjourned for hearing of the bail application

At the resumed sitting, on Friday, counsel to the defendants, I. Ashom, moved the bail application filed on behalf of the 1st defendant but informed the court that no separate bail application had been filed for the 2nd defendant. He, however, urged the court to exercise its discretion and grant bail to both defendants, noting that the 1st defendant is the Managing Director of the 2nd defendant company.

Justice Fashola granted bail to both defendants in the sum of N10 million (Ten Million Naira) with one surety who must be a person of reputable character with a verifiable address.
The matter was thereafter adjourned till October 22, 2026, for commencement of trial.

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The money, handed over in bank drafts, formed part of the funds recovered by the Commission in the course of an investigation into an alleged case of abuse of office, forgery, stealing and diversion involving two former employees of the company.

Investigation revealed that the suspects, Nkechi Gladys Megai, who is currently at large after fleeing to the United Kingdom, and Godson Eze, a former Chief Financial Officer, abused their positions by forging documents, creating fake invoices in the names of the company’s legitimate vendors, and diverting funds through fraudulent transactions carried out over a period of time.

The investigation also revealed that the fraudulent payments ran into several hundreds of millions of naira.

During the handover ceremony, the Acting Zonal Director of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that victims of economic and financial crimes obtain justice and, where possible, recover assets fraudulently obtained from them.

Kaltungo also disclosed that “efforts are ongoing to ensure that all persons connected with the fraud, including those who have fled the country, are brought to justice in accordance with the law.”

The company’s legal representatives, while receiving the bank drafts, expressed appreciation to the EFCC for its painstaking investigation, professionalism and commitment to recovering the stolen funds.

They also assured the Commission that the recovered money would go a long way towards mitigating the losses suffered by the company.

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The Notice of Appeal was filed on Friday, July 10, 2026 by counsel to the EFCC, Wahab Shittu, SAN.

In the appeal contained in Suit No: FCT/HC/CV/1199/2024, the EFCC expressed dissatisfaction with the “whole of the judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, sitting at Maitama, Abuja, Coram: Hon. Justice Peter O. Kekemeke, delivered on the 8th day of July, 2026….”

Specifically, the appeal was hinged on 11 grounds and four different orders. The orders the Commission is seeking in the appeal, are orders allowing the appeal, setting aside the whole of the judgment, dismissing Agunloye’s claim before the trial court in entirety and any other order the court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of the appeal.

Justice Kekemeke had declared in his judgment that the EFCC’s publication on Agunloye was false, defamatory and injurious to the former Minister’s reputation and awarded N10 million in damages against the Commission.

Shittu, in the appeal, also filed a stay of execution of the judgment of the trial court.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the appeal.

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The trouble began for the auto dealer following a petition from a buyer who claimed he paid Ogbonna the ₦15.4 million in October 2023 to assist him in importing three cars. Upon receiving the substantial sum, the defendant promised to deliver the vehicles on or before Christmas Day, December 25, 2023. However, instead of delivering the cars or returning the money, Ogbonna allegedly converted the funds to his personal use, leaving the buyer stranded.

The court charges detailed how the money was systematically diverted. Count one states that in September 2023, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Enugu State, Ogbonna fraudulently converted ₦4,000,000 belonging to Mr. Paulson Nwakoby, which was meant for the vehicle purchase. Count two details another ₦4,000,000 fraudulently converted between November 28 and December 10, 2023. These actions violate Section 342 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 30, Enugu State, and are punishable under Section 353 (1) of the same law.

Appearing in court, the defendant pleaded “not guilty” to all charges read to him. In view of the plea, EFCC counsel and Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Rotimi Ajobiewe, prayed the court for a definitive trial date and requested that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Enugu. Justice Ezeugwu subsequently adjourned the matter to July 16, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that Ogbonna be remanded at the EFCC’s holding facility in the interim.

The post How Enugu Auto Dealer Chukwuebuka Ogbonna Allegedly Pocketed ₦15.4m Meant for Importation appeared first on Business Today NG.

Bodejo faces a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering and operating outside established financial banking frameworks.

During Thursday’s court proceedings, prosecution counsel Wahab Shittu, SAN, introduced the 12-count charge application dated June 24, 2026, and filed on June 25, 2026. He requested that the court allow the defendant to take his plea, a motion that was granted by Justice Ekwo.

According to the charge sheet, the offenses involve significant physical cash transactions that bypassed statutory thresholds. Count one alleges that on January 11, 2022, in Abuja, Bodejo willfully and unlawfully accepted a physical cash payment of $100,000 from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State who is currently in police custody. This transaction violated Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), by exceeding the statutory cash transaction limit of ₦5,000,000 without passing through a financial institution.

Similarly, count four of the charge states that on February 7, 2024, Bodejo accepted another physical cash payment of $980,000 from the same former Bauchi State Accountant-General, breaching Section 2(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Bodejo pleaded “not guilty” to all 12 counts. Following the plea, the prosecution counsel requested a definitive trial date and asked that the defendant be remanded in a correctional facility.

Conversely, the defense counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN, urged the court to grant his client bail, referencing a bail application filed on June 30, 2026.

The prosecution strongly opposed the bail application, presenting a 28-paragraph counter-affidavit dated July 6, 2026. Shittu argued that the defendant poses a public risk, noting that the Department of State Services (DSS) maintains a watch on him. He further argued that due to Bodejo’s influential status, he could potentially compromise witnesses and interfere with the progress of the trial.

Justice Ekwo ordered that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC’s holding facility and adjourned the matter until July 20, 2026, for a ruling on the bail application.

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The anti-graft agency has been given a strict 30-day ultimatum to conclude its inquiries and submit a comprehensive dossier to the presidency regarding the sham organization, which has no legal foundation, executive endorsement, or official backing from the federal government.

The security breach came to light after an individual, identified as Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, allegedly paraded himself as the director-general of the non-existent council, falsely claiming to have received a direct presidential appointment.

The investigation will zero in on the fabrication of state documentation, the illicit procurement of diplomatic endorsements and international travel visas, and the fraudulent opening of several commercial bank accounts under the guise of state ministries.

President Tinubu directed investigators to uncover how the deception managed to acquire an aura of administrative legitimacy, mandating a thorough review of banking records, financial flows, and the potential complicity of public servants, private individuals, or intermediary financial firms.

The executive directive also tasked the anti-corruption body with diagnosing procedural vulnerabilities within state organs that were weaponized by the syndicate, ensuring swift structural corrections are implemented to prevent future institutional impersonation and forgery.

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The witness, Okpoziakpo Eloho, a Commissioner of Police attached to the Force Headquarters’ Fraud Unit, testified as the 14th prosecution witness. Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), he told the court that the funds were approved by Emefiele and fully disbursed.

According to Eloho, investigations carried out by his team showed that the stated purpose of the payment was merely a cover for fraud. He described the transaction as “pure theft” and alleged that the money was obtained under false pretences rather than being used for any legitimate election observer assignment.

The witness identified a presidential directive admitted as Exhibit PD5 and said investigators concluded that the document was used to facilitate the alleged fraud. He added that the investigative team recovered about $800,000 from the funds during the course of its investigation.

During cross-examination by defence counsel, Matthew Burka (SAN), Eloho acknowledged that, as CBN governor at the time, Emefiele had authority over the bank’s funds. He also confirmed that investigators reviewed several documentary exhibits tendered before the court.

He further testified that former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, was interviewed during the investigation. According to the witness, Mustapha denied that a signature appearing on one of the documents presented as evidence belonged to him.

Eloho also claimed that the individual who collected the $6.23 million was identified as Jibril Abubakar. However, he told the court that investigations revealed the identity card used by the individual did not belong to a staff member of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, contrary to what the document suggested.

Responding to questions on whether the funds were released in line with established procedures, the witness said due process was not followed. He explained that although the instruction originated from the CBN governor to the Director of Banking Services, the normal approval process should have passed through the deputy governor before execution.

Following the day’s proceedings, Justice Muazu adjourned the matter until July 3, 2026, for the continuation of trial.

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