EFCC docks bureau de change operator for alleged N16m fraud, arrests 30 suspected Yahoo boys in Ekiti

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Kano zonal office on Tuesday arraigned one Alaramma Zakari before Justice A.T. Badamasi of a Kano State High Court on a one-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust.

The charge read: “That you, Alaramma Yahaya Zakari of No. 12, Church Street, Nasarawa Jimeta, Yola, Adamawa State, sometime in January 2017, at Kano, you being entrusted with money, the sum of N49 million transferred from Zenith Bank account of Lauwali Husaini Idris to your Zenith Bank account named Al-Yazakar Nig. Ltd on the agreement that you will give the Dollar equivalent of $100,000, but you refused and only refunded the sum of N32,500,000 and subsequently converted the sum of N16,500,000 for your personal use, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code Law and punishable under Section 312 of the Penal Code.”

He pleaded “not guilty” to the charge. Counsel for the EFCC, Idris Haruna, asked the court for a date for hearing and that the defendant be remanded in prison. Defence counsel, Abbas Haladu, who was yet to file a motion for bail of his client, prayed the court to remand him in EFCC custody pending when he files a formal application for bail.

While adjourning to July 15, 2019 for “hearing”, the trial judge directed that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody.

In the same vein, the Ibadan zonal office of the EFCC yesterday arrested 30 suspected Internet fraudsters. The suspects were apprehended at different locations within the city of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital during an early morning raid carried out by operatives of the anti-graft agency.

The operation was sequel to a deluge of intelligence reports available to the commission on their alleged fraudulent activities. According to the reports, many people have fallen victim to the tricks of the suspects, who exploit their dexterity on the use of the internet to allegedly commit crime.

Ranging between the ages of 18 and 27, 11 of the suspects claimed to be undergraduates, while others said they are self-employed in various vocations.

Items recovered from them include eight exotic cars, laptops, mobile phones and several documents suspected to contain information used to access their victims.

The suspects are already providing useful information to aid further investigations. They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.