Crime
Budgit, EFCC In Stronger Ties On Capital Budget Implementation Monitoring
Budgit, EFCC In Stronger Ties On Capital Budget Implementation Monitoring
Budgit, EFCC in stronger ties on capital budget implementation monitoring. Budgit has sought enhanced collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC in the area of federal and states’ budget implementation monitoring.
The request was made on Friday, May 2, 2025 when Yahyala Kwaga, Group Head, Research and Policy Advisory, Open Government Partnership and Institutional Partnership, OGIP led top officials of the organization on a courtesy visit to EFCC’s Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede at the Commission’s corporate headquarters.
“We would like to enhance the reporting and escalation channels for capital projects in particular, because once there are channels of communication that are clear, that are direct, that provide anonymity, it would help in reporting and easing the work of your investigation departments.
We would love to see more collaborations. We want to provide our expertise, our capacity for evidence-based policy making. We will be supporting legislative oversight. We know that there’s a National Assembly Committee on anti-corruption agencies.
We can collaborate and partner with you and the National Assembly Committee in building institutional transparency tools, focusing on multi-stakeholder engagements and at the same time, strengthening the voices of people in communities.
We believe that the EFCC is poised to collaborate with us to execute better monitoring of capital projects at both the federal level and even at the state level because state official that we collaborate with express concern that there is some level of mismatch in projects by federal lawmakers in the states, so there is some work that the EFCC can do in that regard,” he said.
Kwaga harped on the need to formalize the working relationship between the EFCC and his organization. “We already have a relationship with the EFCC. We would love to have it formalized at some point in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding.
That would provide some details and clarity on expectations, roles and responsibilities. And it would really be a significant milestone in our relationship moving forward,” he said.
He identified joint monitoring and mission exercises, capacity building and training as significant lines of collaboration with the Commission. Others are in data and intelligence sharing and public awareness campaigns.
In his response, Olukoyede appreciated the longstanding collaboration between the Commission and Budgit, stating that the EFCC will spare nothing in ensuring a diligent budget implementation monitoring at the federal and state levels.
“Thank you for your partnership with us over the years. I have always been part of your engagement because of the importance I attach to our relationship with you.
For all your efforts and collaboration I want to say thank you, as well as for finding us worthy of partnership in your efforts. I can assure you that we will engage you in areas where we need to,” he said.
Budgit, EFCC In Stronger Ties
Speaking on the necessity of capital project implementation, the EFCC boss stated that. “We have deployed adequate human resources in ensuring that we deliver on project implementation monitoring at the federal and state levels. As I have always said, if we can do 50 percent of our capital projects in a year, the country would be fine.
Capital budget implementation is an area that we need to look at very seriously, particularly now that there is not much money available.
The little money that is disbursed must be applied on what it is supposed to and people must have value for it.”
Contractor Julius Ejiogu Bags Two Years Imprisonment For Forgery
Justice F. A. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State has convicted and sentenced Julius Ejiogu, a contractor to two years imprisonment for forgery.
The convict was arraigned on a three -count charge of conspiracy, forgery and uttering of false document on March 23, 2021 by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Upon arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to the charge setting the stage for trial.
The charge reads: “That you Julius Eljiogu and one Engr. E. Expert (at large) on or about the 2nd of August 2013, at Delta State within the jurisdiction of this honourable did conspires amongst yourselves to committed felony to wit: make a document titled Award of Contract for the Construction of Obudu-operation Road in Udu L.G.A. Delta State dated 2nd August 2013 on a letterhead paper on the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, purported to have been issued or emanated from NDDC for the award of Contract which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act Cap M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) Act 2007 and punishable under Section 3 (1)(C) of the same Act.”
In the course of the trial, prosecution counsel, K.Y. Bello called four witnesses and tendered several documents which were admitted by the court while the defendant testified as sole witness for his case.
Jail
Justice Olubanjo in his judgment (on Thursday January 15, 2026) found the defendant guilty on count one of the charge but discharged and acquitted him on count two and three . The judge consequently sentenced the defendant to two years imprisonment with an option of N1 million fine.
The convict’s road to jail began when he purportedly got a letter for the award of Contract for the Construction of Obudu-Oleri Road in Udu Local Government Area, Delta State from one Engr. Eshitt of the Niger Delta Development Commission. He went ahead to sell the contract to the petitioner for N2 million only for him to discover that the said contract award was fake.
EFCC Boss Olukoyede Charges DNFBPs On SCUML Compliance In South-East
In its bid to frontally combat money laundering, terrorism financing, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, safeguard businesses and strengthen the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system, the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede has called on operators of Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions, DNFBPs in the South-East to comply with mandatory registration under the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering, SCUML.
He made this call recently on a live Radio programme at the Enugu State Broadcasting Service where he explained the importance of the SCUML certificate for businesses operating within the non-financial sector.
The Executive Chairman, who was represented by Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Promise Oluigbo, Head of SCUML Department in Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Commission noted that SCUML is responsible for the registration, regulation, monitoring and supervision of DNFBPs as provided for under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
“DNFBPs are categories of businesses identified under Section 30 of the Money Laundering Act and include sectors such as automobile dealerships, real estate businesses, construction firms, hospitality services, supermarkets, legal practitioners, consultants, and non-profit organizations.’
“ As a regulatory body responsible for overseeing the activities of these businesses in order to curb money laundering and financing of terrorism, it’s important I say it here that the registration process is completely free. Business owners do not need to engage any third party. All they need to do is visit the SCUML portal and complete the registration process”, he said.
According to him, with the introduction of electronic certification which has improved efficiency and eliminated the risk of fake certificates, over 480,000 (Four Hundred and Eighty Thousand ) entities have been registered nationwide. He warned members of the public against engaging agents who charge fees for SCUML registration, stressing that the Commission does not authorize third-party registrations. “The EFCC frowns at any individual or group collecting money from businesses under the guise of facilitating SCUML registration. The process is seamless and free of charge”, he said.
Ola Olukoyede
While emphasizing on the need for businesses to register and collect the certificate, Olukoyede enjoined them to ensue adherence to statutory requirements such as Know Your Customer, KYC procedures, customer due diligence, record keeping and reporting of suspicious transactions, adding that failure to comply constitutes a violation of the law and may attract fines, imprisonment or other regulatory sanctions as stipulated under the Act.
“The objective of the SCUML framework is not to stifle businesses but to protect the financial system and ensure transparency in commercial activities.
It is designed to safeguard businesses and strengthen the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system”, he said.
Kaduna Court Jails Three For Fraud
Kaduna court jails three for fraud. Justice A. Isiaka of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna has convicted and jailed the trio of Aliyu Hassan, Samuel Olamide and Solomon Joseph Christian for fraud.
They were prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on separate one-count charge, bordering on criminal impersonation and obtaining by false pretence.
The charge against Hassan reads: “That you, Aliyu Hassan (a.k.a Ottaviani Loverules Giovanni) on or about the 9th of February, 2026 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, impersonated one Ottaviani Loverules Giovanni (a citizen of Brazil) via Facebook platform and in such assumed character, you defrauded one Kerry the sum of N90,000.00 (Ninety Thousand Naira, only) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under the same law.”
Olamide’s charge reads: “That you, Samuel Olamide (a.k.a Johnny) on or about the 9th of February, 2026 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, impersonated one Johnny (a United States of America) citizen via TikTok platform and in such assumed character, you defrauded one Jackie Sanders (an American ) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under the same law.”
Christian’s charge reads: “That you, Solomon Joseph Christian.(a.k.a Jenort) sometime in February, 2026 in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, impersonated one Jenort via Facebook (a social media platform) and in that assumed character benefited the sum of $USD150 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under the same law.”
They all pleaded “guilty,” following which the prosecution counsel, M.U Gadaka prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Isiaka convicted and sentenced them to five years imprisonment each or to pay N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, respectively.
Court
In addition to the sentence, Hassan forfeited N90,000.00 (Ninety Thousand Naira) and a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 mobile phone with IMEI No SM-N9500, being the proceeds of his crime. Olamide forfeited a Samsung Galaxy S21 mobile phone with IMEI No 35198153052814, being the tool of his crime and Christian forfeited iPhone 14 Pro with IMEI NO 35771267218661 and the sum of $150 (One Hundred and Fifty Dollars) being the proceeds of his crime. All the forfeitures were to the federal government.
The convicts were arrested in Agwa, Kudende area of Kaduna following credible intelligence that linked them to fraudulent internet activities. They were charged to court and convicted.
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