EFCC

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a major legal triumph with the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered the landmark judgment on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, ruling that the anti-graft agency had conclusively proven that the assets were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik held that the Commission successfully demonstrated that the properties were not acquired through legitimate sources of income, paving the way for their permanent forfeiture to the Federal Government.

The court’s decision marks a significant milestone in the EFCC’s ongoing crackdown on high-profile corruption cases involving public officials.

While the exact value of the forfeited properties has not been disclosed, sources close to the investigation indicate they are spread across prime locations in Abuja and other major cities.

Malami, who served as Nigeria’s chief law officer from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has yet to publicly respond to the court ruling.

EFCC spokesperson, in a brief statement, described the judgment as a “vindication of the Commission’s diligent investigative efforts” and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to recovering all assets illegally acquired through public office.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued an urgent public warning to all citizens regarding a new wave of cybercrime targeting mobile phone users. In a notice released by its Cyber Crime Department, the anti-graft agency cautioned that fraudsters are exploiting the recent rollout of 5G services to defraud unsuspecting victims.

According to the EFCC, scammers are calling individuals under the guise of updating their SIM cards from 4G to 5G. During these calls, the criminals request a One-Time Password (OTP) from the victim, claiming it is necessary for the “update.”

The Commission emphasised that this is a fraudulent ploy, stating: “PLEASE, DO NOT provide the OTP sent to you.” The EFCC explained that once a victim shares the OTP, the miscreants can immediately gain access to their bank accounts and transfer all available funds to their own accounts.

The agency reiterated that while the commencement of 5G services is a known fact, citizens should remain vigilant and treat any unsolicited request for personal verification codes with extreme suspicion.

The EFCC has urged the public to share this information widely to prevent others from falling victim to the scam. The notice specifically warns, “please don’t tell if any stranger asks for OTP.”

As digital banking expands, law enforcement continues to advise citizens that legitimate service providers will never ask for sensitive security codes over the phone. Anyone who receives such a call is encouraged to ignore the request and report the incident to the authorities.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Some victims of the devastating flood that struck Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over the alleged diversion of relief materials and funds meant for affected residents.

The petition, dated June 26, 2026, was submitted through I.U. Wali Law Firm on behalf of Isah Abubakar, Hussaini Umar Kwangila, Bilyaminu Umar and other residents of Mokwa LGA.

The flood disaster occurred on May 29, 2025. The incident displaced more than 3,000 residents and claimed about 200 lives.

Following the tragedy, Vice-President Kashim Shettima announced a donation of N2 billion and 20 trucks of grains from the Federal Government to support affected communities. Several organisations and individuals also donated cash and relief materials.

However, the petitioners alleged that the donations did not reach many of the intended beneficiaries.

In the petition addressed to the anti-graft agencies, the residents claimed that officials responsible for handling and distributing the donations mismanaged the support meant for victims.

They further alleged that more than one year after the flood, the donated items and funds had not been “utilised effectively to the benefit of victims”.

The petition accused the Niger State Emergency Management Agency of including names of its staff members among beneficiaries of the cash support.

“Some of the victims were shortchanged as opposed to what they should receive, and some of the victims did not receive anything at all,” the petition reads.

“In fact, some persons who benefited from the relief items were not victims of the flood incident, while some are not residents or natives of Mokwa town. In summary, the donations have been marred by corrupt practices.

“The Niger State Emergency Management Agency compiled a list of flood victims for the distribution of money into their bank accounts.

“The list, which emanated from NSEMA, which is available in the public domain, contains the names of persons that were not affected or victims of the Mokwa flood.

“So, in essence, some people that aren’t affected by the Mokwa flood were listed among those to be compensated, while some victims were not included.”

The petitioners called on the EFCC and ICPC to investigate officials of NSEMA, Mokwa Local Government Area, members of the local organising committee and other persons involved in managing the donations.

They also urged the anti-corruption agencies to examine the list of beneficiaries, identify irregularities and recover any diverted funds or relief materials.

By Uzair Adam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested an Aviation Security (AVSEC) officer, Inspector Ali Baffa, alongside two other suspects over an alleged attempt to smuggle unprocessed gold bars valued at more than N4.4 billion through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.

The Kano Zonal Directorate of the EFCC disclosed that Baffa was apprehended on Thursday during a routine surveillance operation at the airport.

According to the commission, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly concealed 22.2 kilograms of gold bars inside his trousers with the intention of handing them over to passengers travelling to foreign destinations.

The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of Aushabu Nasidi, who was allegedly responsible for supplying the gold bars.

EFCC said Nasidi was found in possession of various foreign currencies, including Saudi Riyals, Turkish Lira, Kuwaiti Dinar, Philippine Peso, Australian Dollars, Chinese Renminbi, Algerian Dinar, Hong Kong Dollars, Hungarian Forint and Sudanese Dinar.

The anti-graft agency also arrested Mukhtar Muhammad Dan Zaria, who allegedly delivered the gold to Nasidi.

During interrogation, Dan Zaria reportedly confessed to smuggling approximately 40.2 kilograms of gold between June 1 and June 11, 2026, using the same method.

The EFCC stated that all three suspects remain in custody and will be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

By Anwar Usman 

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested Mustapha Abdullahi, the DG of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, on allegations of money laundering and related offences.

A source within the anti-graft agency, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, disclosed on Wednesday that the DG was arrested in Abuja and is currently in the commission’s custody.

According to the source, the alleged fraud involves funds estimated at N500bn.

“We have arrested the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, for money laundering offences. He was arrested and is currently in our custody. The money is to the tune of N500bn,” the official said.

The Daily Reality gathered that efforts to get confirmation from the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, were unsuccessful as he could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.

On October 24, 2023, President Bola Tinubu appointed Abdullahi as Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially declared the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, wanted.

The anti-graft agency issued the declaration on Friday following Farouq’s repeated failure to appear for a scheduled arraignment. She is facing 21 counts of alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and the diversion of public funds totalling billions of naira.

Central to the investigation is the alleged laundering of over N37 billion through a contractor, James Okwete, during her tenure under the Buhari administration. While Farouq had previously honoured some invitations for questioning, the EFCC moved for her arrest after she reportedly stopped complying with summons and became unreachable.

In April, a Federal Capital Territory High Court issued bench warrants for both Farouq and the ministry’s former Permanent Secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali, after they failed to appear in court.

The EFCC has urged anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to contact the nearest police station or commission office, as the manhunt for the former cabinet member intensifies.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, has expressed serious concern over the growing involvement of Nigerian university students in cybercrime. He stated that nearly six out of every 10 undergraduates are linked to such activities.

Olukoyede made this known during the 8th Biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria, which took place in Kano. The event focused on the theme, “Unlocking the Potentials of Artificial Intelligence: University Governance, Internationalization and Rankings”.

He described the situation as “a sad development,” and explained that findings from the commission’s investigations and field operations point to widespread participation of students in internet fraud and similar offences.

“My research in the last one year has shown that about six out of 10 students in our universities are into cybercrime. It is a very disturbing situation,” he said.

The EFCC chairman revealed that many suspects arrested during recent operations were students. He added that some of them had gone as far as undermining academic standards by allegedly placing lecturers on their payroll.

He linked the development to deeper structural issues, including weak supervision and lapses within university administration.

Olukoyede also referred to a major crackdown in Lagos where 792 individuals connected to an international cybercrime network were apprehended. He noted that a considerable number of those arrested were students. According to him, the operation relied on artificial intelligence tools, which helped expose the scale and complexity of the criminal network.

He further warned about the rise of “Yahoo Plus,” a trend where internet fraud is combined with fetish practices.

The EFCC boss urged university authorities and governing councils to act quickly to address the problem. He advised them to strengthen internal systems and work closely with law enforcement agencies.

Olukoyede also called on pro-chancellors to adopt artificial intelligence-driven governance structures. He said such systems would improve transparency, detect fraud and promote financial accountability.

He pointed out that many tertiary institutions still depend on manual processes. He said this makes them open to abuses such as ghost workers, inflated contracts and mismanagement of funds.

“A university that lacks financial accountability cannot credibly train future professionals. The integrity of our universities is a matter of national security,” he said.

He recommended the use of artificial intelligence in areas such as fraud detection, payroll administration, procurement tracking and academic monitoring. He explained that these tools can identify suspicious transactions, flag unusual salary payments and strengthen auditing systems.

Olukoyede also noted that the EFCC has applied artificial intelligence in its own operations, including digital forensics and financial tracking.

He, however, emphasised that technology should support human supervision and must comply with existing laws, including those on data protection and procurement.

The EFCC chairman stressed the need for training in cybersecurity, machine learning and digital governance within universities. He also called for investment in digital infrastructure such as broadband and cloud systems to support the effective use of artificial intelligence.

He encouraged stronger cooperation between universities, regulatory authorities and anti-corruption agencies to tackle emerging threats.

By Anwar Usman 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned content creators to stop using its name and logo in their content and other media productions without approval, noting that such portrayals misrepresent its operations and that violators will be prosecuted.

This was contained in a video message shared on Saturday via its Facebook page, the commission said, “It has come to the attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that some individuals and content creators are using the name, logo and likeness of EFCC in skits and other media content.

“Many of these skits misrepresent our values and standard operating procedures. We wish to inform the general public that the EFCC has not authorised any such use.”

The message added, “The EFCC does not endorse, sponsor or approve any comedy, drama or online content that uses our identity without written consent.”

EFCC further urged the public to comply immediately, stating, “Therefore, the public is hereby advised to cease and desist from using our name, logo, uniforms or any identifying elements in skits or promotional content without prior written approval. Be warned, all who violate these instructions shall be prosecuted.”

The warning comes amid earlier concerns by the commission over rising cases of impersonation and fake sting operations by individuals posing as its officers.

The EFCC had said intelligence available to it indicated that fraudsters were deploying “ingenious but fraudulent means” to tarnish its image, including tactics involving gangs operating around popular eateries and fun spots in major cities, where unsuspecting youths are targeted.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) permission to arrest former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk.

The anti-graft agency is investigating the former minister over an alleged N746.6 million and $1.3 million fraud case linked to her ministry.

In a statement posted on its X (formerly Twitter) account, the EFCC said Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie also issued a warrant for the arrest of the ministry’s permanent secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali.

According to the commission, the court order followed the refusal of the accused persons to appear before the court on Thursday. Although the defendants’ lawyer requested an adjournment citing illness and other reasons preventing Sadiya from attending, the court rejected the plea.

The EFCC noted that it had filed the case on December 15, 2025, but had been unable to serve the court summons on the accused persons personally.

Sadiya Farouk served as minister under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. She is married to former Nigerian Chief of Air Staff, AVM Sadiq Abubakar (retired).

By Muhammad Sulaiman

A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 1 for the fresh arraignment of former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, over an alleged N1.35 billion fraud.

Justice Peter Lifu scheduled the new date after Lamido and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha Lamido, failed to appear in court to take their plea on Friday.

The former governor and his sons are expected to be re-arraigned on charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which alleges that they were involved in fraudulent contract awards used to siphon public funds.

Counsel to the defendants, Joe Agi (SAN), apologised for their absence, explaining that they had received notice of the trial on Thursday evening. He told the court that Lamido and his sons reside in Kano and could not travel to Abuja at short notice.

However, counsel to the EFCC, Chile Okoroma (SAN), expressed surprise at the defendants’ absence, insisting that they had been duly served with the hearing notice.

Okoroma also informed the court that the EFCC had written to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, requesting that the initial trial judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, who has since been transferred to Calabar, be returned to Abuja to continue hearing the case.

Justice Lifu described the EFCC’s request as an administrative matter to be decided by the Chief Judge, before adjourning the case to April 1 for the defendants’ arraignment.

The EFCC had filed a 27-count charge against Lamido, his two sons, and several companies in 2015, accusing them of laundering about N1.35 billion allegedly diverted from Jigawa State through a complex money-laundering scheme.