Metro News

N30bn suspected crime proceeds passed through Mompha’s account – EFCC

Published

2 years ago

July 2, 2024

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja that N30 billion suspected to be proceeds of crime passed through the account of suspected internet celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha.

The EFCC made this disclosure through one Idi Musa, a staff in the Land and Property Fraud Unit of its Lagos office.

Musa testified on Monday before Justice Mojisola Dada. He gave evidence of how Mompha and his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited were linked to Advance Fee fraud and other fraud related offences.

The duo are facing an eight-count charge of conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, laundering of funds obtained through unlawful activity, failure to disclose assets and property, possession of documents containing false pretense and use of property derived from an unlawful act.

Specifically, the EFCC had alleged that “Ismaila Mustapha, Ahmadu Mohammed (who is said to be at large) and Ismalob Global Investment Limited, sometime in 2016 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired to conduct financial transactions to the tune of N5,998,884,653.18 ( Five Billion Nine Hundred and Ninety-eight Million Eight Hundred and Eighty-four Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty-three Naira Eighteen Kobo), with the intent of promoting the carrying on of specified unlawful activities to wit: obtaining by false pretence”.

Another count reads, “On about the 28th day of January 2019, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court with intent of promoting Olayinka Jimoh also known as Nappy Boy in the carrying on of unlawful activities, conducted financial transaction in the the aggregate sum of N32m, which some in part involves the proceeds of a specified unlawful activity to which obtaining money by false pretence.”

At the proceedings on Monday, the EFCC staff, Idi Musa testified as the sixth prosecution witness against the defendants who were absent in court.

Musa told the court that based on the combined efforts of the EFCC and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), forensic analysis showed that N30 billion passed through the account of the first defendant, (Ismaila Mustapha) to Fidelity Bank.

“Also, about 5 billion in Zenith Bank was linked to the second defendant.”

While being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Suleiman Suleiman, the witness also told the court that the defendant claimed in his statements to the Commission that he is running a Bureau De Change without a licence and claimed ignorance of the law.

According to the detective, he explained that during investigations, the first defendant’s handset which is an Iphone 8 was recovered from him at the time of his arrest in an Emirate flight when he was about escaping Nigeria sometime on 18th October, 2019.

He informed the court that in communications between the EFCC and FBI, the FBI revealed the content of the defendant’s phone as fraudulent and illegal.

According to him “Printed images found on the phone were stated as a transfer SISIP of 92412.75 United States Dollar which were transferred from Intercontinental Diary facility”.

Upon further investigation, the witness, disclosed, “Response received from FBI through letter to the Chairman of EFCC and sent to the team, the company was contacted and two staff of the company were interviewed and they confirmed that on the 5th May, 2018, email account of one of the staff of Select milk company, which is a subsidiary company of Diary facility was hacked.”

He told the trial judge that thereafter money was transferred to a fraudulent account, he called Business Email Compromise.

He explained that those interviewed claimed they never gave instructions of such transfer but got notifications of cyber crime frauds.

He, however, noted that the EFCC was able to recover $80,000 from the fraudsters and $12,412.75 was missing, as the fraudsters had made away with that from the company despite their effort.

He added that more discovery was made in the account of the 2nd defendant’s Zenith Bank.

He claimed, “Series of payment in that account appeared suspicious.”

The investigator also told the court that it was found out that one Olayinka Jimoh, popularly known as Nappy Boy was a beneficiary.

He said Olayinka made confessional statement that he used to be involved in many internet fraud across the border.

Quoting Olayinka, the witness stated, “He said he met the first defendant, Ismaila Mustapha, alias Mompha face-to-face in Dubai and that Mompha told him that he picks money for Yahoo Boys”.

Giving context into what he meant by pick money, Musa explained that picking money or a picker is someone who belongs to a syndicate of internet fraudsters.

Quoting Olayinka further, Musa continued, “Ismaila Mustapha provides him with an account where money is transferred into”.

He said the Picker will take a percentage of the successful amount transferred. He said sometimes it’s 20 per cent and if they were able to launder the money successfully, the picker will now pay them in Naira in Nigeria.

“And that indeed the 2nd defendant’s account was used to transfer the proceeds of crime.

He added that investigations also revealed that the first defendant retained money in the account of the 2nd defendant.

“This unlawful proceeds of the internet fraud, over N212million that was given to Olayinka Jimoh and his relation was received from the 1st defendant.

Musa told the court that the major creditor who paid money into the first defendant account was invited, one Hassan Zein, a Lebanese businessman in Kano, Nigeria who usually sourced dollars from his contact called Khalid for his business purchases.

The witness told the court,”90 per cent of the Naira equivalent paid by by Hassan Zein were transferred to Olayinka Jimoh (Nappy) which Nappy told us he received, either through his personal or company’s account.

The EFCC witness added that during the course of arrest, all the items and properties recovered from the defendants were registered with our exhibit department, but all of the property except the phone were released to Mompha based on court orders.

“We believed they were reasonably acquired with proceeds of crime because when he was given assets declaration form, he could not include them. The first defendant declared his assets, he did not include those assets.”

The court also admitted two documents tendered as exhibits by the prosecuting counsel through the witness.

The exhibits were, the statement of first defendant and the asset declaration form.

But the defence counsel, Kolawole Salami argued that the documents were not part of the proof of evidence.

He asked the court for more time to enable him study the exhibits before proceeding with cross examination.

Justice Dada has adjourned till October 8, 2024, after the courts annual vacation, for continuation of trial.

Metro News

NDLEA arrests South African woman with drug shipments, seizes large consignment of drugs at Lagos airport

Published

19 hours ago

October 11, 2026

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have arrested a South African, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie, with 30 parcels of Thai Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 32.74 kilogrammes, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the drugs were concealed in two travelling bags.

The statement added that the suspect travelled from Thailand through Doha aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1431.

“She confessed to having previously trafficked through other African countries, and was expanding her route to Port Harcourt when she was caught.”

Similarly, NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted a shipment of 354,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg weighing 307.20kg from Pakistan.

Babafemi said the consignment arrived aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight on September 29 and was placed under surveillance before a joint examination on Tuesday, October 6, uncovered the drugs in nine cartons.

In a separate operation at the Lagos airport, NDLEA officers intercepted 70 parcels of Colorado, a synthetic cannabinoid, weighing 75.90kg in six Ghana-Must-Go bags contained in a consolidated cargo from the United Kingdom.

The statement said the shipment was monitored after arriving on September 29.

A clearing agent, John Edrah, 54, was arrested on September 30, while an Uber driver, Taofiq Ajibola, 54, was apprehended while collecting one of the bags at a logistics company in Mafoluku, Oshodi.

The agency said Adetunji Adebayo and Kazeem Damola Dosunmu, 48, a clothing trader, were subsequently arrested when they came to collect the remaining five bags.

According to Babafemi, Ajibola said the drugs were sent by a UK-based associate, Lukman Sa’idu, while Dosunmu claimed his consignment came from another UK-based man identified as Yusuf.

In Cross River State, NDLEA operatives arrested 46-year-old Adama Inuwa at Iyala Nkun village, Ikom Local Government Area, on Sunday, October 4, following surveillance.

Babafemi said the operation led to the recovery of 181 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,100kg and 17.15kg of cannabis seeds.

In Edo State, officers intercepted a black Toyota Camry conveying 1,049 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 702.83kg at Otuo, Owan East Local Government Area, on Monday, October 5.

The agency said Monday Orji, 52; Monday Lawal, 40; and Precious Uduegele, 20, were arrested in connection with the seizure.

In a separate raid at Asoro, off Sakponba Road, Benin City, operatives arrested 26-year-old Ojugo Mercy with 989 grammes of Loud, 13 grammes of Colorado and 83 grammes of methamphetamine.

In Ondo State, a 21-year-old suspect, Happy Endurance, was arrested at her hideout in the Shasha area of Akure on October 5, with 29 bags of cannabis weighing 290kg.

The statement added that a separate raid on an apartment at Oba-Ile, Akure, on the same day led to the arrest of 42-year-old Tunde Adebayo, with 35 bags of cannabis weighing 351kg.

In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives, supported by soldiers, arrested Abdulrasheed Mohamed, 31, and Abubakar Saidu, 37, at Chanchanji village, Wukari Local Government Area, on Friday, October 9.

Babafemi said the suspects were found with 166,200 tablets of tramadol 225mg weighing 107kg.

In Kano State, a stop-and-search operation along the Kano-Maiduguri Road on October 9 led to the arrest of 32-year-old Yahaya Musa with 24,990 capsules of tramadol, 50,000 tablets of diazepam and 22,000 tablets of Exol-5.

In Kaduna State, operatives on patrol along the Zaria-Kaduna Expressway arrested 29-year-old Mohammed Musa with 31 jumbo bags and 775 blocks of skunk weighing a combined 1,027kg.

The agency also arrested Musbau Balogun Adekunle in Orile, Lagos, on Tuesday, October 6, with 32.51kg of skunk and 52.65kg of cannabis seeds, bringing the total seizure to 85.16kg.

In Plateau State, NDLEA operatives raided the residence of 45-year-old Christian Chukwudi Uju at Rukuba Road, Jos, on Thursday, October 8, recovering methamphetamine, firearms and ammunition.

According to the statement, the items seized included 47 grammes of methamphetamine, two pump-action rifles, one locally made gun, 199 live cartridges, five rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and one round of 9mm ammunition.

The agency said its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign also continued across the country, with lectures delivered to students and staff of schools in Oyo, Ebonyi, Niger, Kano, Lagos and Ogun states.

Among the institutions reached were Progressive Grammar School, Tede, Oyo State; Eghugo Technical College, Afikpo, Ebonyi State; Baptist High School, Lambata, Niger State; and Ipara Senior and Junior Community Secondary School, Badagry, Lagos State.

Commending officers involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised personnel of the Lagos, MMIA, PHIA, Taraba, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Cross River, Ondo and Plateau Commands.

Babafemi said Marwa commended the officers “for their professionalism and intelligence-driven approach to the various successful operations” and urged them “to continue with the current balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.”

Metro News

NDLEA arrests 83-year-old ex-convict with Colorado, meth in Abia

Published

21 hours ago

October 11, 2026

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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have rearrested an 83-year-old grandmother, Uloma Uchechi Sunday, with consignments of methamphetamine and Colorado.

The arrest comes barely a year after the grandmother was convicted of drug-related offences.

Uloma was first arrested on May 17, 2025, alongside her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, at the same residence.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

According to Babafemi, the octogenarian was arrested on Wednesday, October 7, at her residence in Ite-Uzo, Umuaguma, Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State, with the substances allegedly tied around her waist with a wrapper.

Her arrest followed credible intelligence indicating that she operated a notorious drug joint allegedly harbouring criminal elements terrorising the community.

During her first arrest in May, operatives recovered 50 grammes of methamphetamine, 522 grammes of skunk, 260 grammes of fresh cannabis leaves and 12 grammes of tramadol from the Uloma and her daughter.

According to the statement, “Both pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 each. They paid the fine and were released by the court”

The NDLEA spokesman alleged that the elderly woman returned to the illicit drug trade after her release.

“Undeterred, the notorious old woman promptly returned to the criminal trade and escalated the scale by setting up a drug joint where she harbours dangerous characters,” the statement added.

Metro News

Varsity lecturer dies after sex romp with prostitute in hotel room

Published

5 days ago

October 7, 2026

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A senior lecturer at the Edo State-owned Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, identified as Dr. Matthew Uwuigbe, has repeatedly died in a hotel room after an alleged sexual encounter with a 21-year-old commercial sex worker, identified as Angela Defa Jacob.

The incident, according to a report by Punch online, happened on Sunday at a hotel in the Mosco area of Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

It was gathered that the lecturer had checked into the hotel with the sex worker and died moments after the romp.

Spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, Eno Ikoedem, who confirmed the incident, said three persons have been arrested in connection with the incident.

She said, “On October 5, 2026, at about 8 pm, the command received a report that Matthew Uwuigbe, a lecturer at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, had lodged at a hotel in Ekpoma and engaged the services of a 21-year-old sex worker, Angela Defa Jacob.

“He subsequently sent the woman to purchase water for him, and upon her return, she found him lying dead in the room.”

Ikoedem said the hotel owner, the manager and the sex worker are currently in custody while investigation continues. The corpse, she added, has been deposited at the Oriaifo Memorial Hospital mortuary.

The university’s Public Relations Officer, Otunba Mike Ade Aladenika, confirmed that Uwuigbe is a staff member of the institution, but said the incident occurred outside the campus.

“We are not denying that he is our staff, but whatever he did and what happened, it is his private life. The girl in question is not our student, and everything happened outside our institution,” he told the News outlet.