$700,000 Fraud: Witness Tells Court Defendant Claimed To Be EFCC Chairman’s PA
$700,000 Fraud: Witness Tells Court Defendant Claimed To Be EFCC Chairman’s PA
An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigating officer, Tanko Abubakar, has told an Abuja High Court that the first defendant in an alleged $700,000 fraud case claimed to be the Personal Assistant to the commission’s chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
Abubakar, the second prosecution witness, made the disclosure on Thursday, November 5, 2026, while testifying before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja.
The EFCC is prosecuting Ojoba Joshua and Aliyu Haskim on an amended four-count charge bordering on impersonation, conspiracy and obtaining $700,000 by false pretence.
The defendants allegedly impersonated EFCC operatives and approached a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, claiming that his tenure at the agency was under investigation.
According to the prosecution, Joshua allegedly presented himself as Olukoyede’s Personal Assistant and, alongside Haskim, told Bello-Koko that the EFCC chairman and Director of Operations demanded $1 million to discontinue the investigation.
The defendants allegedly agreed to collect $700,000 from the former NPA managing director.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Abubakar, who is an EFCC investigating officer, told the court during cross-examination by counsel to the first defendant, Obinna Nwosu, that he encountered Joshua during his investigation and that the defendant introduced himself as the EFCC chairman’s Personal Assistant.
When asked to provide evidence of the alleged claim, the witness said video recordings contained statements made by the second defendant indicating that Joshua had introduced himself in that capacity.
“My lord, there are video clips to show when the second defendant said in his statement that he is the PA to the EFCC chairman. He said this when we were driving in the car,” Abubakar told the court.
The witness was subsequently asked to identify the specific portion of the video evidence where the first defendant allegedly made the claim.
However, Justice Onwuegbuzie observed that playing the entire recordings would consume considerable court time and directed the prosecution to review the videos, identify the relevant portions and present them at the next adjourned date.
Meanwhile, prosecution counsel, Elizabeth Alabi, drew the court’s attention to an affidavit seeking permission to call her next witness virtually because the individual was outside the country and would be unavailable to testify physically.
Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the application and adjourned the case to November 9, 16, 19, 23 and 30, 2026, for continuation of trial.
