Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday, convicted and sentenced one Samuel Asiegbu to three years’ imprisonment without an option of fine for his role in an N8.56bn fraud carried out at Wema Bank Nigeria Plc.

Asiegbu was arraigned alongside Hamza Zakaria, Nurudeen Ibrahim, and Alhaji Sulaiman (now at large) on four counts bordering on conspiracy, stealing, and unauthorised access to a computer system, preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The defendants were first arraigned on June 23, 2025, and had initially pleaded not guilty.

However, Asiegbu later changed his plea to guilty, leading to his conviction and sentencing, while the trial continues for the other defendants.

The EFCC told the court that Asiegbu, Hamza Zakaria, Nurudeen Ibrahim, Alhaji Sulaiman (at large), and others at large, sometime in January 2025, conspired amongst themselves without authorisation and accessed the computer systems of Wema Bank Nigeria Plc to steal money.

The prosecution counsel also told the court that the convicts, Hamza Zakaria, Nurudeen Ibrahim, Alhaji Sulaiman (at large), and others at large, sometime in January 2025, had unauthorised access to the Wema Bank computer and server with the intent to facilitate the stealing of an aggregate sum of N8,568,090,500 from accounts domiciled at Wema Bank Nigeria Plc.

According to the prosecution counsel, the offences committed contravened Sections 409 and 386 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

In his judgment, Justice Oshodi sentenced Asiegbu to 10 months and eight days’ imprisonment on count three and 1 year and 8 months on count four, both without an option of fine.

The judge held that the sentences are to run concurrently, bringing his total jail term to three years.

The court also struck out counts one and two.

Consequently, Justice Oshodi adjourned the case to November 14, 2025, for further trial of the remaining defendants.

Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has warned Nigerian lawyers against aiding money laundering and other financial crimes, describing such conduct as unethical and detrimental to the country’s fight against corruption.

Speaking at the Canada-Nigeria Legal exchange  at the International Bar Association conference  held at the Intercontinental Toronto Centre on Monday, Olukoyede said the EFCC had prosecuted several senior lawyers found complicit in laundering illicit funds for corrupt officials.

He said, “Equally disturbing is the disposition of some in our ranks who have become complicit in money laundering by schooling corrupt Nigerian officials to launder ill-got wealth abroad.

“The Commission has had cause to prosecute very senior lawyers for being accessory to money laundering.”

“We cannot, in one breath, bemoan corruption in our nation and, in another, make our skills available to the corrupt to pillage our common patrimony. Is there no ethics or conscience in practice?” he queried.

The EFCC chairman urged members of the Nigerian diaspora, particularly lawyers in Canada, to play an active role in helping Nigeria overcome its corruption challenge by remaining vigilant and reporting suspicious transactions.

He said, “The diaspora community, especially members of the bar, have crucial roles to play in helping Nigeria overcome the corruption challenge.

“For those of you in Canada, I recommend vigilance. The increasing number of Nigerians migrating to this country points ominously to Canada emerging as another axis for the laundering of ill-got wealth from Nigeria. You will help us prevent this by providing information to law enforcement agencies,” he added.

Olukoyede emphasised that corruption thrives not only through public officials but also through the complicity of professionals who facilitate the movement or concealment of illicit funds.

He said the EFCC would continue to uphold integrity within the legal and financial systems while deepening collaboration with international partners to trace and recover stolen assets.

Olukoyede also disclosed that the anti-graft agency secured 7,503 convictions and recovered N566.3 bn, $411.6 m, and 1,502 properties in the last two years.

Speaking as the special guest of honour, he highlighted the EFCC’s sweeping institutional reforms, renewed emphasis on transparency, and collaborative strides with international law enforcement bodies.

Olukoyede said his tenure as EFCC chairman had been anchored on using the anti-corruption fight to stimulate economic development, enhancing Nigeria’s global reputation, and entrenching accountability across government institutions.

“In all modesty, I came into the job fully conscious of what needs to be done to change the narratives as far as the fight against corruption in our nation is concerned,” he said.

“I consider the anti-corruption fight not as a vocation but as a tool to drive economic growth.”

He revealed that the EFCC has introduced key institutional reforms, including new policies on gift handling, exhibit room security, and sting operations, as well as a restructured bail process to prevent its misuse.

He added that the agency also established several new departments and units, such as the Department of Ethics and Integrity, Fraud Risk Assessment and Control, Digital Transformation and Innovation Unit, International Asset Tracing and Recovery Unit, and a Visa and Migration Fraud Section.

“I also declared my assets upon assuming office and directed all EFCC staff to do the same, and erring officers have been disciplined or dismissed to preserve the agency’s integrity,” he said.

Olukoyede announced that some of the recovered funds, N100bn, have been channelled into national social investment programmes such as the Students Loan Scheme and the Consumer Credit Scheme.

“Agencies like the NDDC, AMCON, FIRS, and the National Health Insurance Authority have also benefited from EFCC’s recovered funds,” he stated.

The EFCC boss cited landmark property recoveries, including 753 duplexes in Lokogoma, Abuja, and Nok University in Kaduna State, which have since been converted to the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia.

On the economic front, Olukoyede said the Commission’s Task Force on Naira Abuse and Dollarisation has supported the Central Bank’s efforts to stabilise the naira by curbing currency racketeering and speculative trading.

He also revealed that EFCC’s cybercrime operations led to the arrest of 792 members of a major foreign-controlled syndicate involved in cryptocurrency and romance scams, with 192 foreign nationals prosecuted and deported.

To redirect youth innovation away from internet fraud, he announced that there has been the creation of a Cybercrime Research Centre within the new EFCC Academy in Abuja, alongside a 24/7 Cybercrime Rapid Response Centre for real-time enforcement.

Olukoyede highlighted the EFCC’s growing international profile, marked by visits from former FBI Director Christopher Wray and UK NCA Director-General Graeme Biggar, and by new partnerships with the Korean Police, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Spanish Police, and German Police.

He said the Commission had returned assets to fraud victims in Spain, Canada, and the United States, further cementing its credibility abroad.

At the regional level, Olukoyede noted that Nigeria, through the EFCC, now leads the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa, where he was recently re-elected chairman for another two-year term.

He also credited the EFCC’s Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering for playing a “critical role” in getting Nigeria removed from the FATF Grey List.

In his closing remarks, the EFCC boss urged the diaspora community to safeguard Nigeria’s image abroad, noting that the country’s reputation must not be tarnished by the actions of a few dishonest individuals.

“Ultimately, we must work together to ensure that the good reputation which our country currently enjoys in your host country is not tarnished by the actions of a thieving few,” he said.

“Only we can build a nation that the rest of the world will respect. No one else will do that for us.”

Despite the challenges confronting the anti-corruption fight, Olukoyede expressed optimism about Nigeria’s future, reaffirming his belief that the nation will achieve greatness.

“Despite the challenge, I still see Nigeria achieving greatness,” he said.

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Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, on Wednesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that several properties linked to him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency belonged to his late father and were jointly owned by his 30 siblings.

Kyari, who opened his defence before Justice James Omotosho, said his late father left behind more than 20 houses in Maiduguri, Borno State.

He added that some of the properties were sold to fund his father’s medical bills before his death.

He maintained that he could not have declared the properties in his assets form since he had not received his portion.

Under cross-examination by NDLEA counsel, Sunday Joseph, Kyari said,

“My Lord, I cannot put my interest about the property in the form because the 20 houses belong to my father and not me. If I get my percentage of share, I can put it, but until when I get my own percentage. All the properties left behind by my father belong to all his children and we are about 30 in number.”

Kyari is facing 23 counts filed against hum by the NDLEA, which alleged that he and two co-defendants, Mohammed Kyari and Ali Kyari, failed to fully declare their assets, disguised ownership of properties and converted funds contrary to the law.

The charges, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/408/2022, allegedly contravene Section 35(3)(a) of the NDLEA Act and Section 15(3)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011. The prosecution has so far called 10 witnesses and tendered 20 exhibits before closing its case.

The defendants had filed a no-case submission, but the court dismissed it on October 28, ruling that a prima facie case had been established.

Justice Omotosho noted that the ruling did not imply guilt but allowed the defendants to enter their defence, stressing that they remain presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

Meanwhile, Kyari argued that the NDLEA failed to prove ownership of the properties tied to him, citing Section 128 of the Evidence Act, which he said requires certified true copies of title documents to prove transactions over state lands.

“About four of the properties were sold then,” he noted.

Kyari, who holds a BSc in Geography and joined the Nigeria Police Force on May 1, 2000, said he was conversant with the asset-declaration process.

Asked whether he declared his interest in the inherited properties, he responded that he could not since the assets were collectively owned.

“I cannot include my father’s properties in my asset-declaration form because they belong to the entire family, not me. If I get my percentage share, I can declare it, but not before then,” he said.

He added that proceeds from some sales were distributed among relatives in need.

Kyari also admitted that he initially declined to complete the asset-declaration form when invited by NDLEA operatives, insisting that his lawyers must be present.

“Yes, I said I would not make a statement until my lawyers were around,” he said, adding that one officer informed him that refusal to fill the form was a criminal offence.

Kyari further testified that the millions of naira traced to his bank accounts came from operational funds released by the police and some governors for security operations.

He said that as former Commander of the Anti-Robbery Squad and later head of the Intelligence Response Team, he supervised over 1,000 operations, with funds often routed through his account for disbursement.

When asked why funds channelled through the Central Bank of Nigeria were sent to his relatives, Kyari said the money was used to repay loans he obtained from them to fund urgent operations due to bureaucratic delays in official releases.

Justice Omotosho noted that whether family properties should be declared would be addressed in the parties’ final written addresses.

The NDLEA tendered several bank documents, which Kyari confirmed bore his name. The prosecution then sought an adjournment to obtain additional documents for further cross-examination.

Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter until November 12 for continuation of the hearing.

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