Top bankers under probe, Bobrisky case ongoing – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said on Thursday it was investigating some bank executives for various offences.

The commission also said that it has submitted its preliminary report on the investigation of the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, to President Bola Tinubu.

According to the anti-graft agency, about five bank executives are serving various jail terms at the custodial centres in the country.

The Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwajaren, disclosed this while stating the achievements of the commission under Ola Olukoyede.

Uwujaren, who didn’t mention names of the bank executives under probe, noted that the banking sector has not been overlooked in the last year.

He said, “It’s just for us to look back and realise that EFCC has never shifted focus from any sector. Between 2009 and 2011, at least five bank executives were investigated and served their jail terms. There are still some that are under investigation.

“They are not politicians. Bank MDs are not immune to investigations or prosecution by the EFCC. We cannot mention names until those things are concluded. “

On Betta Edu, Uwajaren said, “I don’t know the outcome. But I believe that we have submitted a preliminary report to the president. And I believe that we are still on the matter.

“The last time I checked, we mentioned the number of bank accounts that we were monitoring. We were looking at about 140 accounts. And we know it takes time to look into and get the required information.”

On the investigation of controversial crossdresser Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky’s allegations, Uwujaren said he could face a fresh charge from the commission if the allegations against the EFCC are false.

Bobrisky had in a voice note shared by controversial social critic Martins Otse, aka VeryDarkMan, allegedly said he bribed EFCC officers with N15m to drop money laundering charges against him.

Providing an update, Uwujaren stated that one could be charged for giving false information to the EFCC, let alone making false allegations against the commission.

He said, “There is a portion of the EFCC Act that states if you give false information, you can be tried, but in his case, it is an allegation against the agency. I don’t want to preempt the panel investigating the matter. Once we are through with the investigation, we will definitely brief you on the outcome.”

Reeling out the success of the commission under Olukoyede, Uwujaren said a total of ₦248bn has been recovered.

He also said four former governors and three former ministers have been prosecuted under Olukoyede.

Uwujaren said, “Ola Olukoyede’s one year as EFCC Chairman, beginning from October 18, 2023 to October 18, 2024, the Commission has charged four former governors, namely: Yahaya Adoza Bello (Kogi), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Willie Obiano (Anambra) and Darius Dickson Ishaku (Taraba), to court for alleged corruption.

“Two former ministers of power have been arrested and facing prosecution by the Commission. They are Saleh Mamman and Olu Agunloye. A third is a former minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika.”

He also noted that in the past year, the EFCC, under Olukoyede’s watch, secured 3455 convictions across all categories of financial crimes and corruption.

“Also in the one year of Olukoyede’s leadership, the EFCC recorded $105,423,190.39; £ 53,133.64; €172,547.10; T1,300.00; CAD $ 3,400.00; ¥74,859:00 (Seventy-Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty-Nine Chinese Yuan); AUS $ 740:00; 170:00 UAE DIRHAM; 73,000:00 KOREAN WON; CFA 7,821,375:00 to R 50:00,” he added.

He said more than 35 were convicted for Naira abuse.

“The convicts cut across different classes of society, with Idris Okuneye (a.k.a. Bobrisky) and Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, a Nollywood actress who bagged six months imprisonment, topping the chart of high-profile convicts in this regard. Another offender, Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu (a.k.a. Cubana Chief Priest), had his charges compounded and was fined,” he stated.