Crime

EFCC arraigns self-styled native doctor and wife for N1bn fraud in Ado-Ekiti

Published

5 months ago

June 9, 2026

The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned a self-styled native doctor, Olorunbukunmi Taiwo, and his wife, Awolegan Omolola Omotola, for an alleged contract scam to the tune of N1,098,961,500 (One Billion, Ninety Eight Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-one Thousand, Five Hundred Naira Only).

The couple were arraigned before Justice Abubakar Usman of the Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti on a six-count charge bordering of obtaining money by false pretence and retention of proceeds of crime contrary to Section 17(a) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.

Taiwo and Omotola were arrested when a widow, Anazia Colina Kenechukwu, a proprietor of a private school in Delta State, petitioned the EFCC alleging that the first defendant, Taiwo, approached her to finance a road construction contract purportedly awarded to him by the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC).

Kenechukwu further alleged that a total sum of N1,980,000,000.00 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Eighty Million Naira Only) was paid into Taiwo’s account domiciled with Access Bank Plc.

Investigation further revealed that the couple invested the proceeds of the illicit activities in the acquisition of two properties in Ado-Ekiti, namely: Town Tavern Lounge, located at No. 1, Ikere Road, off Florence Court School, Ado-Ekiti, and a four-bedroom bungalow located on Florence Court, Irewolede Estate, Ado-Ekiti

The Commission had on Monday, May 25, 2026 secured the interim attachment of the two properties.

Count 2 of the charge reads:

“That you, Olorunbukunmi Taiwo and Awolegan Omolola Omotola, sometime between January 2024 and November 2025, in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N1,098,961,500.00 (One Billion, Ninety-Eight Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty-One Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) from one Anazia Colina Kenechukwu, which was paid to you through Olorunbukunmi Taiwo’s account number 0027303340 domiciled with Access Bank Plc, by falsely representing that same would be used to execute a road construction contract awarded to you by the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC), a pretence you knew to be false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

When the charges were read to them The defendants pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them.

Following their pleas, counsel to the EFCC, Sesan Ola, prayed the court to fix a date for trial and order the remand of the defendants.

Justice Usman adjourned the matter until Thursday, June 11, 2026, for hearing of the bail application, and commencement of trial. The judge also ordered the remand of the defendants in the EFCC holding facility.

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Crime

Rape, manslaughter trial: Five witnesses testify against Odogwu Asaba

Published

10 hours ago

October 30, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The prosecution on Wednesday presented five witnesses and video evidence at the trial of content creator Ifeanyi Ogbonna, popularly known as Odogwu Asaba, over alleged rape and manslaughter in connection with the death of 20-year-old Favour Agbro.

The witnesses included Agbro’s twin sister, brother and father, the doctor who conducted the post-mortem examination, and an investigating police officer. The case is being heard by the Delta State High Court in Asaba.

However, the defence counsel requested more time to study the statements of the prosecution witnesses and the additional evidence served on the defence.

Speaking after the proceedings, the prosecution said it was prepared to proceed with the case but acknowledged the need to allow the defence adequate time to examine the materials.

The prosecution team was led by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Omamuzo Erebe, SAN, alongside the Director of Public Prosecutions, Tejiri Anuhwin, and other state counsel.

Ogbonna had pleaded not guilty to the charges on October 21, 2026, before Justice Michael Nduka Obi. The allegations relate to Agbro’s death in June 2026.

The court adjourned the case until November 19, 2026, for the continuation of the trial, when the prosecution is expected to proceed with its witnesses and evidence.

Recall that the court had remanded the content creator at the Ogwashi-Uku Maximum Correctional Centre after he was arrested and arraigned following allegations of raping Agbro, who later died after ingesting a toxic substance.

Source: punchng.com

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Crime

Police arrest fake lawyer after 11 years of practice in Ebonyi

Published

2 days ago

October 28, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested a man, Ugwumba Enyinnaya, for allegedly impersonating a lawyer and practising for more than 11 years.

The state Police Public Relations Officerzz, SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the arrest followed an investigation into a petition alleging obtaining money by false pretence.

According to the police, the suspect allegedly collected ₦650,000 from one Chukwu David in March 2026 to facilitate the processing and approval of a street naming in Ohaozara Local Government Area.

The petitioner alleged that Enyinnaya presented himself as a lawyer with years of legal experience.

The police said investigations following his arrest revealed that he had been parading himself as a legal practitioner despite not being a lawyer.

During interrogation, the suspect admitted that he was not a lawyer, according to the statement.

“A search of his apartment led to the recovery of several exhibits, including a Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) seal; a portrait of the suspect dressed in barrister’s regalia; purported Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree certificates for the suspect bearing the name of Enugu State University of Science and Technology; a barrister’s robe and wig; judgements allegedly procured from the court and various legal documents allegedly prepared by him, including powers of attorney and deeds of conveyance,” the statement said.

The police said the suspect had been charged to court.

The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, CP Hope Okafor, commended the operatives for uncovering the alleged impersonation and urged members of the public to verify the credentials of people offering legal services.

She also advised residents to report suspicious activities to the police.

Source: punchng.com

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Crime

Lagos driver fleeing police arrest kills okada rider, injures two

Published

2 days ago

October 28, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

A yet-to-be-identified motorcycle operator has been killed, and two others injured, after a speeding driver, allegedly fleeing police officers, knocked down three motorcycle riders on Liasu Road in the Idimu area of Lagos State.

The incident occurred on Saturday night during a police chase involving a vehicle suspected to belong to Internet fraudsters.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle while attempting to escape from the pursuing officers and knocked down the three motorcycle riders in the process.

One of the riders was said to have died on the spot, while the two others sustained injuries.

It was gathered that the driver and other occupants of the vehicle abandoned it and fled after realising what had happened.

An eyewitness who gave his name simply as Wahab said the vehicle was being chased from the Ile-Iwe end of the road towards the Council bus stop.

He said, “They were coming from the Ile-Iwe side when police officers in a minibus tried to stop them. It was in the process that they increased their speed and drove recklessly.

“It was when the driver lost control that he ran into the okada riders. The one directly hit died on the spot, and the driver and other male adults in the vehicle ran out of the vehicle and fled.”

The vehicle was subsequently towed to the nearest police station, while the injured victims were taken to a nearby hospital.

The incident, however, sparked a protest by commercial motorcycle riders operating along Powerline and Liasu roads, as they stopped conveying passengers to demand justice for their colleagues.

According to another resident, Titi Jayeoba, the protest left several residents stranded as they struggled to find alternative means of transportation.

“We were stranded on Sunday after the okada riders refused to operate. People who depend on motorcycles to get to church and other places were stranded. The tricycles available could not carry everybody, so many people found it difficult to get to their destinations.

“And some were not even interested in tricycles because they would not take them into their streets,” Jayeoba stated.

It was gathered that normalcy had since returned to the area after the motorcycle operators resumed operations later in the evening.

The deceased victim was also said to have been buried according to Islamic rites.

When contacted on Tuesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said she was not aware of the incident. She, however, promised to revert.

Source: punchng.com

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