Four suspects arrested over use of EFCC chair’s name to extort $1 million

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested four suspects claiming to have been sent by the chairperson, Ola Olukoyede, in a $1 million blackmail and extortion attempt.

The suspects said to be running a criminal syndicate, are alleged to have been blackmailing a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, threatening him with a non-existing investigation and prosecution.

The suspects reportedly contacted Mr Bello-Koko, claiming that they had evidence implicating him in illicit activities during his tenure.

They were said to have asked for $1 million from Mr Bello-Koko for what they described as a “soft landing.”

The suspects—Ojobo Joshua, Aliyu Hashim, Thomas Oduh, and Paul Ogiji—were arrested on Wednesday in a coordinated operation at various locations, including Gimbiya Street in Garki and Apo Legislative Quarters in Abuja.

EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said in a press statement that the arrests came after the commission received intelligence on the syndicate’s activities and conducted a sting operation to catch them in the act.

The suspects allegedly posed as EFCC officials acting on behalf of Mr Olukoyede, telling Mr Bello-Koko that his only option to avoid arrest and prosecution was to pay $1 million.

“Upon receiving credible intelligence, the Commission quickly deployed operatives who played along with the suspects,” Mr Oyewale said in the statement.

“They were successfully apprehended and are now in the custody of the Commission. Charges will be filed against them as soon as investigations are concluded.”

Not the first time

This incident is the latest in a series of fraud cases in which EFCC operatives or the commission’s chairperson have been impersonated to extort money from unsuspecting victims.

In February 2023, EFCC operatives arrested Salman Hudu, a 38-year-old from Kano, accused of posing as the commission’s chair, Abdulrasheed Bawa.

Mr Hudu allegedly obtained N100,000 from a victim by falsely promising to resolve a matter under investigation by the Commission.

He was apprehended at a hotel in Abuja and has since provided helpful information to investigators.

A similar case in August 2016 involved three individuals—Anokwuru Miriam Iheoma, Chukwuma Charles Eze, and Ogechi Emeka Okwuosa—who were arrested for allegedly attempting to extort N16 million from Casmir Ajulu, the Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State.

The suspects claimed to be in contact with the acting EFCC chairman at the time, Ibrahim Magu. They pressured Mr Ajulu to pay them in exchange for influencing an electoral matter with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

When Mr Ajulu resisted, they allegedly threatened to “deal with him.” The suspects were later captured in a sting operation.

The EFCC has repeatedly warned the public about the dangers of impersonation scams, urging individuals and organisations to verify the identity of anyone claiming to represent the commission.

EFCC says it is committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice and urges anyone with relevant information to come forward.