EFCC Arraigns Chinese Zhang Wen Hao For Cheating

EFCC arraigns Chinese Zhang Wen Hao for cheating. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC Abuja Zonal Directorate has arraigned a Chinese, Zhang Wen Hao, before Justice Ibrahim Shekarau of the Nasarawa High Court sitting in Mararaba

He was arraigned on a one count charge bordering on cheating.

The count reads “That you, Zhang Wen Hao sometime in March 2023 at Suleja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did intentionally induce Paul Yichol with One Thousand Naira only to open account number 1715754475 in his name with Access Bank PLC for the purpose of using same for unlawful activity and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 of the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria and punishable under Section 322 of the same Law.”

EFCC

He pleaded not guilty, prompting the prosecution counsel Taiwo Aromolaran to ask the judge for a date to commence trial. Meanwhile, counsel to the defendant Michael Ukatu made an oral application for bail

Justice Shekarau adjourned the matter till March 12, 2026 for hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the EFCC.

Kaduna Women, Youths Rally In Support Of El-Rufai’s Probe

Kaduna women, youths rally in support of El-Rufai’s probe. Mr Auta urged authorities to go a step further by investigating Mr El-Rufai’s repeated resort to divisive rhetoric along religious and ethnic lines.

Women and youths under the aegis of the All Progressives Congress Unity Forum in Kaduna held a rally supporting the ongoing investigation of the embattled former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

Mr El-Rufai is being investigated over his alleged involvement in wiretapping the national security adviser’s phone lines, as well as financial infractions allegedly committed during his tenure as governor.

Some of the youths and women carried placards with inscriptions such as ‘Tapping NSA phones is criminal’, ‘ICPC, EFCC, save our treasury’, ‘Southern Kaduna people do not support evil’ and ‘ICPC, SSS, carry on’, among others.

Speaking at the rally in Kafanchan, Edward Auta, the forum’s convener, said the ongoing legal processes against Mr El-Rufai will further strengthen transparency and, if convicted, enable the recovery of public resources for the benefit of the people.

“Without a doubt, holding El-Rufa’i accountable will demonstrate clearly that under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, there are no sacred cows and no one is above the law,” he stated.

Mr Auta urged authorities to go a step further by investigating Mr El-Rufai’s repeated resort to divisive rhetoric along religious and ethnic lines.

He distanced the forum from a pro-El-Rufai rally held last Wednesday by a group in Southern Kaduna, which claimed solidarity with the former governor.

“No fair-minded person from Southern Kaduna who witnessed the pervasive insecurity, wanton acts of corruption, and deepening polarisation under Elrufa’i’s administration will question the courage of our nation’s anti-graft and security agencies to investigate and interrogate him.

“These agencies are carrying out their constitutional mandate to ensure accountability and to recover public funds allegedly diverted during his tenure as governor,” he said.

According to him, Darius Kurah and his associates, who gathered in Kafanchan on February 25, neither possess the authority to speak on behalf of our people nor reflect the genuine sentiments of the zone.

El-Rufai

“Contrary to their claims, the overwhelming majority of our people support the efforts of the ICPC, EFCC, SSS, and all relevant institutions working to ensure that due process is followed and accountability is achieved. Indeed, many believe these actions could have come sooner. Nevertheless, as the saying goes, ‘better late than never’,” he said.

Mr Auta noted with satisfaction that Southern Kaduna had entered a new era of inclusion and purposeful governance under Governor Uba Sani and President Bola Tinubu.

Lagos EFCC Arraigns Two Bankers For Alleged $306,667.81, €50,250 Fraud

Lagos EFCC arraigns two bankers for Alleged $306,667.81, €50,250 fraud. The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, arraigned two bank officials, Bakare Oladimeji Surajudeen and James Olukayode Imokwede, over an alleged $306,667.81 and €50,250 fraud before Justice Ismaila Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja.

The defendants, who are both top officials of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited, were arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged stealing and retention of stolen property to the tune of $306,667.81 and €50,250.

The petitioner, FSDH Merchant Bank Limited, alleged that an internal audit uncovered unauthorized debits totaling $306,667.81 and €50,250, equivalent to N527,406,916.66 (Five Hundred and Twenty-Seven Million, Four Hundred and Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixteen Naira, Sixty Six kobo),

from its Letters of Credit (LC) payable accounts.

Investigations revealed that the defendants processed fraudulent transfers through the SWIFT platform to third parties.

One of the counts reads:

“That you, BAKARE OLADIMEJI SURAJUDEEN and JAMES OLUKAYODE IMOKWEDE, sometime in 2021 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly took the sum of N527,406,916.66 (Five Hundred and Twenty-Seven Million, Four Hundred and Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixteen Naira, Sixty Six kobo), property of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited.”

Another count reads:

“That you BAKARE OLADIMEJI SURAJUDEEN AND JAMES Olukayode Imokwede sometime in 2021 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly took sum of $306,667. 81 (Three Hundred and Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixty Seven dollars, Eighty one cents) property of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited”.

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges preferred against them.

Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, H. U. Kofarnaisa, asked the court for a trial date and also prayed that the defendants be remanded in a Correctional facility pending trial.

Counsel to the first and second defendants, Oluwaseun Akintunde and Olajide S. Onasanya, informed the court that bail applications had been filed on behalf of the defendants and also urged the court to grant them bail on liberal terms.

They also prayed that the defendants be remanded in the EFCC custody pending the perfection of their bail conditions.

The prosecution counsel, however, opposed the prayers of the defence seeking the remand of the defendants in the EFCC custody, saying that “the EFCC detention facilities are overstretched.”

After listening to both parties, Justice Ijelu granted the defendants bail in the sum of N2 million each, with two sureties in like sum.

The court ordered that one of the sureties must be a relative, who is gainfully employed.

EFCC

The sureties must provide evidence of tax payment in the last three years and must show proof of livelihood, with their residences verified.

The defendants were ordered to deposit their international passports with the court, and must not travel outside the country without the leave of the court.

The judge subsequently remanded the defendants in a Correctional facility pending the perfection of their bail conditions.

Justice Ijelu adjourned the matter till March 25, 2026, for the commencement of trial.