Crime
Court convicts ex-NHIS boss Femi Thomas and BDC operation for $2,198,900 fraud in Lagos
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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The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 10-man syndicate in Minna suspected of specialising in the international trafficking of unsuspecting victims, along with 36 undocumented youths of different nationalities.
According to the command’s spokesman, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the syndicate operated under false pretences as travel agents, engaging in the extortion of their victims.
Abiodun revealed that the suspects were arrested on July 18, 2025, at about 12:30 pm, following credible intelligence received about their activities along 123 Quarters, Minna.
Those arrested include Sokou Doumbia, Thiarno Balbe, Hashimu Dauda Kolo, Usman Doumbia, Musa Konate, Lamine Watara, Acine Diouf, Adamu Zarbu, Alhassan Konde and Dango Aminatu.
They were discovered to be nationals of various neighbouring West African countries and primarily spoke French, except for their Nigerian collaborator, Hashimu, who provided accommodation for the syndicate in Minna.
The operation led to the rescue of 36 undocumented youths from countries such as Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.
He disclosed that, during interrogation, they claimed to have come to Nigeria for an online business.
All the suspects and victims have been transferred to Interpol for further investigation and other necessary actions.
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The only female among the suspects said her only connection to the illegal miners was her proficiency in speaking Mandarin, a widely spoken language in China.
At least seven Chinese and four Nigerians have been arrested for alleged illegal mining of ilmenite in Akwa Ibom state.
The suspects were arrested by men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Dele Oyewale, EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, said Monday, July 28, that Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the anti-graft agency apprehended the suspects on Thursday last week, July 24, at Emem-Asuk, Eastern Obolo Local Government Area (LGA) of the State.
Oyewale said, “The Chinese suspects are Yang Chaobao, 32, Zhong Dun Yi , 33, Cheng Jiang , 35, Zhong Dun Long , 37, Pan Peiming , 33, Lai Yiping, 37 and Zhu Lekun, 35.
“Their Nigerian accomplices are: David Israel, 18, Jonah Bartholomew Jim , 24, Samuel Samuel Timothy, 20, and a female translator named Comfort Gabriel Ajaga , 23.
“They are operating in the Eastern Obolo area, where they were arrested whilst setting up mining equipment at a second location. They were already engaged in the illegal activities at their first location, mining ilmenite, locally called black sand.”
The only female among the suspects said her only connection to the illegal miners was her proficiency in speaking Mandarin, a widely spoken language in China.
“I am a student studying Chinese language at a Learning Centre in Anambra State and I only work with them as a translator,” she said.
“The suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation,” Oyewale disclosed.
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The suspect allegedly sold one of the stolen televisions for N40,000.
A 22-year-old carpenter, Auwal Mohammed has been arrested for stealing.
Men of the Bauchi State Police Command arrested Mohammed for allegedly stealing four brand new plasma televisions from his client’s house.
The spokesperson of the command, CSP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, July 28, 2025 said the suspect allegedly sold one of the stolen televisions for N40,000.
“On July 26, 2025, at about 16:00 hours, the Bauchi State Police Command apprehended Auwal Mohammed, a 22-year-old carpenter residing in the Sabon Railway area of Bauchi metropolis, in connection with the theft of four 43-inch plasma televisions,” the statement read.
“Auwal Mohammed, who was working as a carpenter at the residence of an unidentified individual, allegedly discovered the new televisions in one of the rooms of the premises.
“It is reported that he subsequently relocated the televisions to a concealed area within the house, where they remained for around two weeks. Following this period, he is said to have taken the televisions to the residence of a neighbor for safekeeping and received a sum of N50,000 as credit.
“Further investigation has indicated that the suspect later sold one of the stolen 43-inch televisions to an individual known to deal in stolen goods for N40,000. Efforts are currently being made to apprehend his accomplice and recover the stolen property.
“The investigation is ongoing, and upon its conclusion, Auwal Mohammed will be formally profiled and charged to court of law.”
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