Crime
EFCC, FBI Sets to Probe Alleged Diversion, Mismanagement of USAID Funds
EFCC, FBI Sets to Probe Alleged Diversion, Mismanagement of USAID Funds
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening strategic collaboration, intelligence sharing and operational synergy in investigating the alleged diversion and mismanagement of funds provided under the United States Government-supported programmes.
Eereporter.com
The resolve was made on Thursday, September 10, 2026, when Macus Maccain, Assistant Law Enforcement Attaché, FBI, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the office of the Acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo.
Speaking during the interactive session, Maccain said the visit was aimed, among other things, at strengthening existing cooperation in investigating alleged financial irregularities involving organisations that had received funds under the programmes supported by the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, particularly those connected with HIV and tuberculosis interventions.
He said the engagement became necessary following the shutdown of some USAID programmes by the United States Government in 2025.
According to him, the development subsequently raised concerns over the management of funds that remained with some implementing organisations after the programmes were discontinued.
He said some organisations were suspected of mismanaging or allegedly diverting funds that had been provided to them before the affected programmes were shut down.
“We are seeking stronger engagement with the EFCC to establish how the funds were managed and identify possible financial misconduct arising from the termination of the programmes,” he said.
Also speaking, Jeremy Kennon, Special Agent, Office of Inspector General, Department of State, said the United States and Nigerian governments had previously entered into an agreement to support the fight against HIV and tuberculosis, with the Department of State and the Nigerian Government providing funding to organisations implementing related programmes.
He said some of the organisations established one-stop centres for HIV treatment.
He, however, said subsequent reviews had uncovered concerns over inflated budgets and other financial irregularities in Kano State and several other states.
Kennon stressed that the concerns were not limited to Kano or Nigeria, noting that similar issues had been identified in different parts of the world.
According to him, the FBI was interested in developing a long-term working relationship with the EFCC on the matter, including reciprocal information sharing.
“We’ll like to work with the EFCC on this on a long-term basis, and we’ll be sharing information with you; not just getting information from you,” Kennon said.
Responding, Kaltungo welcomed the delegation on behalf of the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, and described the relationship between Nigeria and the United States as “a long-standing one, particularly in the area of law enforcement cooperation.”
He assured the delegation that the EFCC would investigate allegations surrounding the diversion or mismanagement of USAID funds across Nigeria and trace the movement of the funds to their ultimate beneficiaries.
According to him, tracing the funds and identifying the beneficiaries would enable investigators to establish “how the money was spent; whether it was deployed for the purposes for which it was provided and whether any portion was mismanaged or diverted following the cancellation of the programmes.”
EFCC
Kaltungo also assured the delegation that the investigation would be coordinated and would cover all states where the affected organisations and programmes operated.
He added that the Commission would work with the FBI to follow the financial trail and establish the facts surrounding the alleged diversion of the funds.
Eereporter.com
Navy Arrests 3 Suspects with 71kg of Cannabis on River Niger
The Nigerian Navy has arrested 3 suspected drug traffickers and intercepted 71 kilogrammes of substances suspected to be Cannabis sativa during a riverine patrol along the River Niger in Kogi State.
Eereporter.com
The suspects were arrested on 8 September 2026 by personnel of NNS LUGARD following credible intelligence on the movement of an illicit drug consignment. The suspected cannabis was concealed in the rear compartment of a large wooden commercial boat intercepted near Chintako Community Jetty in Bassa Local Government Area.
The suspects and the recovered consignment were subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kogi State Command, on 9 September 2026 for further investigation and prosecution. According to the NDLEA representative, investigations will seek to establish the source and ownership of the consignment and identify those behind its supply.
Navy Arrests
The interception highlights the importance of intelligence-led maritime enforcement in disrupting the movement of illicit drugs through Nigeria’s inland waterways and strengthening the wider fight against organised criminal activity.
ABIODUN FOLORUNSHO
Navy Captain
Director Naval Information
Nigerian Navy
Eereporter.com
High Court Jails Fake Spiritualist for Sextortion in Abuja
Justice C.N. Nwabulu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, convicted and sentenced a fake spiritualist, Solomon Odigie Moses, to one year imprisonment.
Eereporter.com
Moses was arraigned on one-count charge bordering on cheating and posing as a spiritualist, thereby defrauding and obtaining the sum of $1,100(One Thousand, One Hundred United States Dollars) from an Indian lady seeking spiritual healing.
Moses, who was arrested in Ekpoma, Edo state, received and laundered the $1100, via his Zelle payment platform, and the Naira equivalent was paid into his local bank account.
The convict subsequently deceived her into taking a naked spiritual bath, which he recorded live without her permission, and thereafter blackmailed her to send him money, else he would make the video public.
Investigation by the EFCC revealed that the victim had to pay the sum of $1,100 to the suspect in order to prevail on him not to release her nudity to the public.
The charge against him read: “That you Solomon Odigie Moses(A.K.A DR SOLOMON) sometimes in 2026 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently impersonate a spiritual leader named Dr. Solomon on a fictitious Tiktok account and obtained the sum of $1100(One Thousand One Hundred Dollars) from an Indian lady by name Sharon Kaur, for the purpose of spiritual prayer and assistance, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Act(Abuja)LLFN, 1990 and punishable under Section 322 of the same Act.”
He pleaded “guilty”, following which the prosecution counsel, Maryam Hayatudeen, urged the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.
Court Jails man
In his ruling, Justice Nwabulu convicted and sentenced Moses to one year imprisonment with an option of fine of N300,000(Three Hundred Thousand Naira).
The judge further directed that the $1,100 proceeds of crime be forfeited to the victim through EFCC.
Eereporter.com
NPF–NCCC Arrests Hafsat Abubakar Over Viral False Opay Shutdown Notice
The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has traced the circulation of a false notice purporting to be an official communication from OPay Digital Services Limited and falsely announcing the shutdown of the company’s operations, leading to the arrest of Hafsat Abubakar and the recovery of three mobile phones.
Eereporter.com
The false communication was designed to appear as an official corporate notice, bearing OPay’s logo, corporate branding, company name and a purported management signature and endorsement. It falsely suggested that the company was shutting down its operations which was capable of misleading members of the public and causing unnecessary concern among customers.
Following the circulation of the false notice, operatives of the NPF-NCCC commenced digital forensic analysis and online tracing to establish its source and identify those responsible for its dissemination. The investigation traced the notice to the X handle, @HAIFAH_ER_ABBA, linked to Hafsat Abubakar, who was subsequently arrested by NPF-NCCC operatives on 4 September 2026.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect published the notice on her X handle and subsequently shared it through another X handle, @CUTE_HAFSERH, where she tagged social-media influencers and accompanied the post with the caption, “REMOVE YOUR MONEY NOW.” She stated that she obtained the notice from a WhatsApp status. The publication reportedly recorded approximately 572,000 views within minutes of being posted.
Three Apple mobile phones were recovered from the suspect as exhibits. Investigation is ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the creation and dissemination of the false notice and to identify any other persons who may have been involved. The suspect, alongside any other person found culpable, will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc(+), NPM, commends the operatives of the NPF-NCCC for their efforts in tracing the online publication and effecting the arrest of the suspect. He reiterates the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to combating cybercrime, digital fraud, impersonation and the circulation of false information through digital platforms.
Police Arrests
The Force urges members of the public to exercise caution before acting on information circulated online, particularly information relating to financial institutions and services. Members of the public are advised to verify such information through the official communication channels of the concerned institution and promptly report suspicious online activities to the appropriate law-enforcement authorities.
CSP ANI INIEDU, anipr
Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters, Abuja
10th September 2026.
Eereporter.com
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