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Court convicts ex-NHIS boss Femi Thomas and BDC operation for $2,198,900 fraud in Lagos

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Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, July, 24, 2025, convicted the duo of Dr. Olufemi Martins Thomas, a former Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, and one Kabiru Sidi, a Bureau De Change Operator, for $2,198,900.00 ( Two million, One Hundred and Ninety Eight Thousand, Nine Hundred United States Dollars) fraud.

Thomas was arraigned alongside Sidi on an amended seven-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of $2,198,900.00 brought against them by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Six of the counts against Thomas bordered on money laundering and transferring, in cash, proceeds of unlawful activities, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.

The second defendant, however, was prosecuted only on count six bordering on making false statements to an official of the EFCC.

The charge against Thomas reads: “That you, Dr. Martins Oluwafemi Thomas (a.k.a Dr. Ike), the former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, on or about the 3rd of July, 2015 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, procured Mrs. Femi Thomas to disguise the unlawful origin of the sum of $2, 198, 900 (Two million, One Hundred and Ninety-eight Thousand, Nine Hundred United States Dollars) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 and punishable under Section 15(2) (a) and (3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012).”

The charge against Kabiru reads: That you, Kabiru Sidi on or about the 15th of July, 2015 at the office of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, 15 A Awolowo Road, Ikoyi Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court made a false statement to Afeez Mustapha, an investigating officer with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commissionto the effect that you gave over Two Million United States dollars to Bamidele Ibiteye and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 39(2) (b) and punishable under Section 39(2) (c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004.”

They pleaded “not guilty” to the charge, thereby leading to their full trial.

At the last adjourned sitting on Thursday, May 29, 2025, the prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho SAN, in his final written addresses, dated May 5 and 9, 2025, submitted that “In line with the charge, the prosecution called six witnesses, and the defendant made a no-case submission, which was overruled and overruled by the Appellate Court on the grounds that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the defendant.

“The defendant entered his defence because the law required him to show how he acquired the funds legitimately. Part of his evidence was that he made the funds heavily from his farming businesses. The evidence of his farming was contained in his financial statement.

While closing his argument, he had also submitted that “This is a case of money laundering, where the issue of concealment of transaction is paramount and that is why the law requires such transactions to go through financial institutions so that there will be a trial. Any application that suggests otherwise will defeat the basis of Section 1 of the Money Laundering Act”.

He had, therefore, urged the court to discountenance the submissions of the first and second defendants and convict them as charged.

Delivering judgment today, Justice Ayokunle Faji ruled that the anti-graft agency failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the allegations of conspiracy, unlawful enrichment, and making false statements contained in counts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 of the amended charge.

However, Dr Thomas was convicted on count five, relating to a cash transaction exceeding the N5 million threshold allowed by law for individual cash dealings.

Justice Faji held that the EFCC did not adequately investigate claims made by the defendant during the trial and failed to establish that the funds in question were proceeds of unlawful enrichment.

“The transaction in count five is only above the N5 million threshold. There is no proof it was from the proceeds of crime,” the judge ruled.

Consequently, the court ordered the EFCC to return within 14 days all funds previously seized from Dr Thomas, stating that the agency had no legal basis to continue holding the money.

However, the release is contingent upon Thomas paying a N10 million fine imposed as a penalty for the single count on which he was convicted. He was also barred from travelling outside the country until the fine was fully paid.

The second defendant, Sidi, was found guilty of making a false statement to an investigating officer with the EFCC and sentenced to a fine of N100,000.00

Justice Faji, however, discharged Thomas on counts one, two, three, four and seven of the charge.

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Crime

Police arrest murder suspect, others in Delta communities, recover ammunition

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Operatives of the Delta State Police Command attached to Agbor Division have arrested a key suspect involved in the abduction and murder of a commercial motorcyclist in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area.

This was contained in a signed statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer for Delta State Command, SP Bright Edafe, copies of which were made available to journalists in Warri on Thursday.

The statement noted, “On October 7, 2025, a report of a missing person was received at the Agbor Division, indicating that a man identified as Friday Orumgbe, male, aged 53, of Idumu Oza, Agbor, Ika South LGA., who left home on 6th October 2025 with his Lifan motorcycle, failed to return.

“Acting on the report, the DPO Agbor Division, CSP Michael Obekpa, immediately ordered a discreet investigation into the disappearance. Following a sustained intelligence-led effort, on 16th October 2025, police operatives arrested one Musa Buhari, male, aged 25, of Alihagu Village, Agbor, and recovered the victim’s phone, a Tecno T101 handset, from him.

“Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed that he and one Manu Usman (now at large) had boarded the victim’s motorcycle under the pretence of being passengers, but lured him into a bush along Power Line near Oki, Agbor, where they attacked him with a hoe, rendering him unconscious before stealing his motorcycle and phone.

“Acting on the confession, on 17th October 2025 at about 8:05 a.m., the DPO Agbor Division led operatives and the suspect to the crime scene where the decomposed corpse of the victim was recovered. The remains were identified by family members and deposited at the Central Hospital Mortuary, Agbor, for autopsy.”

Meanwhile, the suspect is in custody and the investigation is ongoing, the police spokesman stated.

In another development, a patrol team of the ‘B’ Division, Warri, has nabbed a suspected cultist/armed robbery syndicate and recovered from the gangster one locally made cut-to-size double-barreled gun, one live cartridge, and one expended cartridge.

The PPRO disclosed that on October 19, 2025, the Divisional Police Officer ‘A’ Division, Warri, CSP Ya’u Kangiwa, acting on the directive to strengthen visibility policing in volatile areas, deployed his operatives to intensify night patrols within the Ubeji community, following a recent resurgence of cult-related clashes.

“At about 3:00 a.m., a patrol team of ‘B’ Division Warri sighted a gold-coloured Lexus 350 SUV, with registration number KWL359DS (ABUJA), parked suspiciously with two occupants on board.

“The officers promptly approached the vehicle and identified the occupants as Christian Agbajor Akpos, male, aged 33, and Sophia Thomas, female, aged 26.

“When interrogated, the occupants could not provide a satisfactory account of their movement at such odd hours. Their suspicious conduct prompted a meticulous search of the vehicle, leading to the recovery of one locally made cut-to-size double-barrel gun, one battle axe, one live cartridge, and one expended cartridge.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the male suspect, Christian Agbajor Akpos, is a member of the Maphite Confraternity and the Neo-Black Movement (NBM). He further confessed that the firearm found in his possession was given to him by one Mr Shimaye (surname unknown), identified as the Deputy Chairman of the Ubeji community. Both suspects are in custody while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate and recover more arms.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, has commended the officers “for their professionalism and swift response in apprehending the suspects.”

The police boss reiterated the Command’s unwavering commitment to the fight against crime and criminality in all forms, stressing that “The Command will continue to intensify intelligence-led operations and community-based policing to ensure the safety of lives and property across the State.”

PUNCH Online reports that the Delta State Police Command has reported a string of significant operational successes in recent times.
For example, in August 2025, the Command announced the arrest of 211 suspects and the recovery of ₦8.5 million ransom money, along with 18 firearms and over 350 rounds of ammunition.

More recently, in October 2025, the Command intercepted 400 rounds of ammunition at Asaba Bridge Head and arrested a suspect during operations aimed at intercepting illegal arms transfers in the region.

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Crime

Police detain officer for firing at moving car in Delta

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A police officer who was filmed shooting at the tyre of a moving vehicle in front of Toscana Hotel along Okpanam Road, Asaba, Delta State, has been identified and detained by the authorities.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday night, sparked outrage after the video surfaced on social media. The video showed the officer firing towards the car as it attempted to drive off.

The act has been widely condemned as reckless and a violation of the rules of engagement on firearm usage in public spaces.

Reacting to the incident in a post on X on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Delta State Command, SP Bright Edafe, described the officer’s conduct as “embarrassing, shameful, careless, unprofessional, and unjustified.”

Edafe wrote, “In all honesty, this is embarrassing, shameful, careless, so unprofessional and not justified at all. The Policeman has been identified, detained and will appear before the CP today.”

No casualty was reported as of the time of filing this report.

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Crime

Hit-and-run driver kills Lagos director days before retirement

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A director with the Lagos State Government, Serifat Talabi, died four days before her retirement from civil service and at her 60th birthday party.

That the woman was knocked down by a hit-and-run driver on Saturday.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident happened when Talabi was crossing the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway near the Redemption Camp in Ogun State.

A source in the state civil service, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised, told our correspondent on Tuesday that Talabi was the Director of Procurement at the Lagos State Resident Registration Agency.

“She was knocked down by a hit-and-run driver while trying to cross the expressway around the Redemption Camp. Efforts were made to take her to the hospital, where she was confirmed dead,” the source disclosed.

Another source in the agency disclosed that Talabi was supposed to retire on Monday, October 13, but the retirement event was postponed to Wednesday, October 22, to allow the agency’s General Manager to attend.

The source added that she had printed a card inviting her co-workers, relatives, and friends to the event, which also marked her birthday.

“She was supposed to retire on October 13, but because the General Manager was not around, she then shifted the date to October 22 so he could attend. Invitations had already been printed and sent to colleagues, friends, and family before the unfortunate incident.”

An invitation card sighted by PUNCH Metro indicated that the event was billed to hold at the NERDC Conference Centre, NERDC Road, Ikeja, adjacent to the Fela Shrine.

Meanwhile, The Eagle Online reports that Talabi’s burial arrangements have been announced by her family.

According to information gleaned from a WhatsApp group by the news platform, the wake will be held on October 23, 2025, with the burial service scheduled for October 24, 2025.

Both events will take place at 10, Ore-Ofe Street, Ara Hall Bus Stop, Ibafo, Ogun State.

The spokesperson for LASSRA, Basirat Lawal, did not respond to calls made to her telephone line on Tuesday. A text message sent to her had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.

Similar efforts to reach the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, were futile as she did not pick up calls made to her telephone line. She had yet to reply to a text message sent to her as of the time of filing this report.

Talabi’s death adds to the growing list of pedestrians killed by hit-and-run drivers along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway and other major highways linking Lagos and Ogun states.

PUNCH Metro reported in August that a motorcyclist and his passenger lost their lives along the Ago-Iwoye/Ilisan Expressway in the Ijebu area of Ogun State after a truck rammed into their motorcycle from behind and fled the scene.

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