EFCC Urges Enhanced Involvement Of Lawyers (NBA), CSOs In Anti-Corruption Fight

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has urged the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA and civil society organisations to strive towards enhancing their involvement in the anti-corruption fight.

The call was made on Thursday, March 27, 2025 by the Acting Director, Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, Bawa Usman Kaltungo when the leaders of Barnawa and Kaduna branches of the NBA alongside those of civil society organization, Corruption Trackers Initiative, CTI, North West Zone, paid him a courtesy visit.

“The EFCC is not an island unto itself. It needs the active involvement of professional bodies such as the NBA, civil society organisations and general public to win the fight against corruption in the country.

We are encouraged by your involvement in the anti-corruption fight and wish to urge you to even show more commitment for the sake of our country. Our doors are always open to all stakeholders in the fight against corruption,” he said.

Kaltungo further urged all stakeholders in the anti-corruption fight to shun unethical behaviours and avoid acts that can bring their credibility to question.

“We must always choose the path of honour because he who comes with equity must come with clean hands. Always carry out your duties lawfully and avoid engaging in activities that can put your credibility in question in the fight against corruption,” he said.

Leaders of the delegations described their collaboration with the EFCC in the anti-corruption fight as a necessary step for the good of the society.

Hamza Abideen, Executive Chairman, CTI, North west Zone stated that the successes of the EFCC in the anti-corruption fight inspired him and others to promote CTI as a voluntary anti-corruption movement.

“We saw our involvement in the anti-corruption fight as an opportunity to support the country and rid it of corruption and all forms of financial crimes to pave the way for development to take place in the society.”

EFCC

He commended the EFCC for remaining dedicated and focused in the anti-corruption fight despite the mounting challenges over the years.

Bukola Ajao, chairman NBA, Barnawa branch and Godwin.O. Ochai, NBA chairman, Kaduna Branch expressed total commitment of the lawyers umbrella body to the anti-corruption fight noting that the EFCC and the NBA must work in synergy to ensure that the corrupt and all those involved in financial crimes faced the wrath of the law.

The NBA leaders while congratulating Kaltungo on his appointment as Acting Zonal Director assured him of the cooperation of lawyers from both branches in the fight against corruption.

Courts Jail 17 Internet Fraudsters In Edo

Courts jail 17 internet fraudsters in Edo. The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured the conviction and sentence of 17 internet fraudsters before Justices A.N. Erhabor and W. I. Aziegbemhin of Edo State High Courts, sitting in Benin City.

The convicts are: Ekene Ezerioha, Ayeleso Ayodeji Richard, Prince Unity Igbinekaro, Marvelous Adebor, Osayande Oseh, Chukwuebuka James Edozie, Clinton Osayi Okojie, Chinedu Ugwu Kingsley, Emmanuel Ezeala, Isioma Christopher, Adebayo Ayomide, Ubaro Best, Junior Oboh, Chieye Goodluck, Lucky James Isioma, Jeremiah Okwuezuru Nwadiashi, and Destiny Grace.

They were prosecuted on a separate one-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime and possession of fraudulent documents.

The charge against Ekene Ezerioha reads: “That you Ekene Ezerioha (m) on or about the 14th of March, 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did have in your possession, documents which you knew or ought to have known contained false pretence, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

All the defendants pleaded “guilty” to their charge when they were read to them, prompting the prosecution counsel, F.A Jirbo, K Y. Bello, Isa K. Agwai, Faisal Ibrahim, Al-Amin Ibrahim Abdul, Bala-Ribah and Salihu Ahmed to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that they have become remorseful for their actions.

Courts Jail 17 Internet Fraudsters

Justice Erhabor convicted and sentenced Igbinekaro, Adebor, Oseh, Edozie, Okojie, Christopher, Best, Nwadiashi, and Grace to two years imprisonment, each or to pay N200, 000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine respectively, while he sentenced Richard, Kingsley, Ezeala, Goodluck and Isioma to three years imprisonment, each or to pay N200, 000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine respectively.

On his part, Justice W.I. Aziegbemhin convicted and sentenced Oboh, Ayomide and Ezerioha to two years imprisonment each or to pay N400, 000 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, respectively.

In addition to their sentences, all the convicts forfeited their phones, computers and money in their respective bank accounts to the federal government and undertook in writing to be of good behaviour henceforth.

The convicts’ journey to the correctional centre began with their arrest in a sting operation by operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC following intelligence that linked them to fraudulent internet activities.

IPOB Condemns Mob Action In Edo, Says Nigeria’s Break-Up Only Solution To Prevent Implosion

IPOB condemns Mob action in Edo, says Nigeria’s break-up only solution to prevent implosion. The noble family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) worldwide condemned the killing of travelling Northerners precisely Hausa tribe in Edo State.

The jungle justice mated on some of the purported Hausa hunters transiting from Edo State is a regrettable as the indigenous Hausas are equally facing ethnic annihilation in the hands of the Fulani invaders.

The global family of IPOB want our Southern brethren to understand that Hausas are never the problems in the indigenous people in Nigeria. Indigenous Hausas people are harmless, hardworking and accommodating unlike the Fulanis ethnic group. Indigenous Hausas are being forced to flee their ancestral communities by the marauding Fulani terrorists and bandits.

In that regard, IPOB is advising the Southern brethren not to attack Hausas in the region but to treat them as victims of oppression. People should try and distinguish between Hausas and Fulani ethnic groups.

Hausas are victims of subjugation and oppression in the hands of the Fulani ethnic groups. The barbaric attack and murder by the civilians in Edo State must have been as a result of ongoing bitterness and frustration from unaddressed Fulani terrorist and kidnapping activities that have being going on in Edo State.

However, it’s rather ignorance or stupidity for any Northerner, whether Hausa or Fulani or others to enter any Southern bushes or forest for a so called hunting.

The reason is that Nigerians particularly in the South has been crying and protesting against fulani kidnappers. Many people have been victims of Fulani kidnapping daily. To make the matters worse, the Nigerian Government and her murderous Security Forces fade ignorance of the kidnapping activities of the Fulani terrorists and bandits in the South.

The result is that every Northerner including the innocent ones has become a prime suspect. Nigerians are already provoked because the Nigerian Government and her Security have abandoned the people to their fate when it comes to security.

Even when some of these Fulani kidnappers are apprehended and handed over to the police by the locals, with one call from Abuja, the Police will release the Fulani kidnapper suspect. As a result the people have lost confidence in the Nigerian Security Agencies and have become a law unto themselves.

Haven identified these purported Hausas hunters with some of their supposed hunting weapons, the anger and suspicion of the people led to the unfortunate lynching of the men. We therefore, advise the Southern brethren to avoid ethnic profiling and attacks to all Northerners. All the Northerners are not harmful.

But those fulani terrorists and kidnappers inside the bushes are a threat to all the indigenous people in Nigeria. Indigenous people of Hausas are facing extermination like indigenous people of Biafra and Indigenous people of Oduduwa.

The IPOB global family condemns the unfortunate attack and killing of some purported Hausas travelling to the North for the salla celebration. We join others in asking for a proper investigation into the case. We caution the police from raiding and indiscriminate arrest which is the usual thing in the South.

As the tempos are high, the leaders from the North and South must advice their people not to take laws into their own hands. Nigeria security is at the fragile state. There is a serious ethnic mistrust in Nigeria and any ethnic spark may leave Nigeria in a very sorry state.

IPOB wants to exit Nigeria peacefully without shielding of innocent blood that’s why we have constantly asked that Nigeria be balkanized peacefully. Nigerians knows that Nigeria is an unworkable union forced to remain in a cage while fighting and killing themselves at the entertainment of the British colonialist and their political savages.

IPOB

IPOB commiserates with the families of those men who were attacked and killed by frustrated angry mobs in Edo State. We call for calm as authorities should carry out investigation and prosecution of the culprits.

Moreso, the innocent Northerners should avoid entering the bushes in the South for whatever reason in these current fragile security situations in Nigeria. If you want to hunt or fish please do that in the North.

Fulani terrorists and kidnappers have already created suspicion in the minds of every Southerner with their unrepentant terrorist and kidnapping activities.

The attack and the barbaric jungle justice of these Hausas is a regrettable one. We hope and pray that such actions should not repeat itself anywhere in Nigeria until Nigeria is dissolved peacefully.