FEATURES
Reports have revealed that the Aircraft model, Eurocopter EC 130B4, which crashed and claimed the lives of the Chief Executive of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, his wife, son and three others crashed five times in 2023.
Naija News reports that Wigwe died following a chopper crash on Friday, February 9, in California, United States.
His wife, Chizoba, and son also suffered the same fate.
However, a report from The Nation has traced the history of the Eurocopter EC 130 to several fatal accidents.
The aircraft model which is manufactured by Airbus Helicopters SAS (formerly Eurocopter), the single-engine aircraft and its variations have a long history of accidents.
Crashes Timeline
In December 1, 2023, the Eurocopter EC 130B4 suffered a crash which struck power cables during takeoff and crashed into a ball of flames near Ex Hacienda el Hospital, Cuautla, Morelos in Mexico. Three people died in the accident, and it was the last of 11 crashes involving Airbus models in 2023.
In 2018, the same aircraft model crashed in the Grand Canyon and claimed the lives of five people.
In 2018, another crash involving Eurocopter EC 130B4 killed five people, all of them Britons, in the Grand Canyon.
Two brothers, Stuart and Jason Hill, 30 and 32, were among the dead. Stuart Hill’s girlfriend Becky Dobson was also killed in the crash. The three were pronounced dead at the scene.
The aircraft burst into flames after crashing. The pilot told American investigators that the helicopter encountered a “violent gust of wind” and started spinning.
In January 2023, two EC130B4s operated by Sea World Helicopters collided in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, killing four people and injuring eight.
Following these accidents, it is now required all helicopter fuel tanks be shielded from fuel tank rupture on impact.
Legal icon and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Afe Babalola, has stressed the need for President Bola Tinubu to seek debt relief for Nigeria from the country’s international creditors.
He emphasized the need to seek a reduction in the interest of the loan and the loan itself in order to save Nigeria’s economy from collapse.
Recalling how former President Olusegun Obasanjo got debt relief for Nigeria, Babalola said it is time to call Obasanjo to advise the Tinubu government on how to get it done.
Speaking on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti during the 6th Induction Ceremony of the 2023 graduating set of the College of Medical and Health Sciences of ABUAD, Babalola, if Nigeria does not seek debt relief, the country’s economy may be crippled with the way things are going.
The legal luminary also lamented that the loans accrued by the government have unfortunately been embezzled by some private individuals.
He emphasized that the sorry state of the economy and the frustration of the people are responsible for the protests across some major cities in the country.
He said, “Nigeria is one of the heaviest debtors in the world, I have written articles about it, let us investigate how we came to several trillions of dollars, what do we spend it on? I can assure you, these money are pocketed by those who said they collected it.
“Let us call on Obasanjo again to advise the present government. When we were in serious trouble in the 90s, after he took over, he went round all the creditors and begged them, one, to peg the interest, two, to even reduce the indebtedness and today, we are better for it.
“Unless we do that, this indebtedness will cripple this country and it will lead to anything. I have seen people especially, in the North who are agitating because of the fact that the naira is getting worse, food prices are high, no employment, and those who get it are not paid. Something has to be done about it.”
Speaking further, Babalola condemned the recent killings of two traditional rulers in Ekiti State and the hike in food prices.
He urged the government to intensify efforts at tackling insecurity so that farmers can access their farms without fear and enable all Nigerians to be producers of crops by investing in Agriculture.
Babalola also advocated an increase in the salary of teachers in the country to bolster their teaching delivery towards achieving and sustaining quality education in the country, as it has been in the 20th century.
His words, “Monarchs are killed, it is an unusual development, so, what is behind all these is the fact that we have no money, our money has no value, our currency is as worthless as toilet paper, something has to be done about naira and productivity.
“Farmers have left their farms now because of kidnappers, something has to be done about kidnapping and farmers have to be encouraged to go back to their farms.”
A clergyman, Oscar Amaechina, says the prosperity gospel encourages love of money rather than building morality, contributing to the country’s insecurity.
Mr Amaechina, the president of Afri-Mission and Evangelism Network (AMEN), said this in Abuja on Saturday at a book launch.
“The danger of the prosperity gospel is that it does not bring morality through what people are doing, so I strongly believe that insecurity and the way we live our lives recklessly are results of not knowing God,” said Mr Amaechina.
He advised pastors to stick to the true biblical doctrine and teaching for their members and discourage their congregation from covetousness.
The clergyman said pastors should desist from emphasising the love of money to their congregation but encourage them to remain content with what they have.
“Those who are kidnappers have religious groups where they belong. Some of them are in the churches; they give money to their pastors, pay tithe, and give offerings.
“Some of them can even build churches, yet they still go and kidnap and collect money from people because some of them just believe that the essence of why we exist in life is because God wants us to prosper,” he said.
The clergy stressed that Christianity had faced different challenges as most pastors were now defining God based on the brand of their Christianity.
According to him, Christians see God in many dimensions and also many have failed to preach morality but rather focus on a frivolous lifestyle.
Adamson Uokhag, the Abuja chapter coordinator of AMEN, called for the revival of a reading culture that would spur Nigerians into knowing the truth about God.
(NAN)
Access Holdings PLC has reacted to the reported death of its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Herbert Wigwe.
As reported by The Eagle Online, Wigwe, his wife and son died in a helicopter crash in the United States of America.
Reacting to the news, Access Holdings PLC said it had been receiving enquiries on the helicopter crash.
It, however, asked for patience as it was also working with authorities in the United States of America for details.
It spoke in a message issued in the early hours of Monday.
The message, titled: “Important announcement,” said: “We have received numerous enquiries concerning an airplane crash in the USA.
“Presently, we lack specific information; however we are actively collaborating with US authorities who will furnish updates.
“Your understanding and support are valued, and we commit to keeping you informed promptly as we receive updates on the situation.”
Chief Abimbola Ogunbanjo was a leading corporate lawyer and boardroom guru. Former Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) Plc, Ogunbanjo led the transformation of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) from a non-profit, member-based organisation into a public limited liability company, with its shares publicly quoted for all investors to participate in the ownership of the country’s oldest securities exchange.
The conversion of the then NSE, otherwise known as demutualisation, birthed the NGX Group as a non-operating holding group and the separation of the trading and regulatory arms of the Exchange.
A versatile corporate lawyer, Ogunbanjo led the emergent NGX Group in its formative years between 2021 and 2022. He had served as the President of the National Council of the NSE from 2017 to 2021.The late Ogunbanjo was credited with several landmark initiatives at the Exchange, including the launch of West Africa’s first Exchange Traded Derivatives market.
He was born to the family of Chief Chris Ogunbanjo, a foremost corporate lawyer, industrialist and philanthropist, who passed away late last year. Until his death, Abimbola Ogunbanjo was Managing Partner of the renowned corporate law firm of Chris Ogunbanjo LP (Solicitors), his family’s iconic law firm.
Abimbola Ogunbanjo was a director on the boards of many other companies including Beta Glass Plc, GTL Registrars Limited, AIICO Insurance Plc, ConocoPhillips Limited, Chris Ogunbanjo Foundation and the Advisory Board of the University of Buckingham Centre for Extractive Studies among others.
A registered Nigerian capital market consultant, Ogunbanjo is a member of the International Bar Association, Nigerian Bar Association and Institute of Petroleum.
A philanthropist and dedicated social worker, Ogunbanjo was Global Ambassador for the Cervical Cancer-Free Nigeria (CCFN) campaign, an initiative of the Global Oncology (GO), a US-based non-profit organisation supported by Standford University.
He was conferred with the traditional title of Bamofin of Erunwon Ijebu Kingdom in veneration of his legal acumen. The late Ogunbanjo was also conferred with national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).
[TheNation]
The CEO of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe, has been feared killed in a chopper crash in California.
He was reportedly on board with about five others believed to be his wife, son and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), when the helicopter crashed.
Sources said the chopper was headed to Las Vegas when it crashed near a border city between Nevada and California on Friday night.
Here are things to know about Access Holdings CEO, Herbert Wigwe
1. Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe CON was born on August 15, 1966.
2. He was a Nigerian banker and entrepreneur.
3. He was the CEO of Access Holdings Plc, traded as Access Corporation until his death.
4. Herbert was the Group Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank plc, one of Nigeria’s top five banking institutions, after succeeding his business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede in January 2014 till April 2022.
5. Wigwe has a degree in accountancy from the University of Nigeria, an MA in Banking and Finance from the University College of North Wales (now Bangor), an MSc in Financial Economics from the University of London,
6. He was also an alumnus of the Harvard Business School Executive Management Program.
7. Wigwe started his career at Coopers & Lybrand, Lagos as a management consultant, later qualifying as a chartered accountant.
8. After a stint at Capital Bank, he joined GTBank where he spent over a decade working in corporate and institutional banking, rising to become the executive director in charge of institutional banking.
9. In 2002, Wigwe and his business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede bought into what was then a small commercial bank, Access Bank – at the time, the 65th largest of the 89 banks in the country.
10. On February 10, 2024, he was reportedly involved in chopper crash that killed him, his wife, his son and a yet-to-be-identified Nigerian.
[TheNation]
BBNaija Lockdown Season 5 winner, Laycon has shared a deeply personal and challenging experience from his past, recounting a time when he had to soak garri with toilet water.
The reality star recounted a time in 2013 when he faced extreme hunger, leading him to use toilet water to soak garri.
Laycon disclosed that during that particular weekend, he found himself alone in his wing, battling severe hunger pangs with no resources at his disposal.
He emphasized the intensity of his hunger, stating, “I wasn’t hungry o, I was starving.”
With no money and no other options available, Laycon resorted to using the water from the toilet tap at Shodeinde Hostel to soak garri.
In his own words, Laycon shared the grim details of the incident.
“One of my lowest lows was using Shodeinde Hostel toilet water to soak garri in 2013. I was alone in my wing that weekend, and I was starving. I wasn’t hungry o, I was starving. So I soaked Garri with no sugar and used toilet tap water to drink it… as I Dey soak the garri, water dey commot for my eyes,”
See below;
In other
Ms. Koosum Kalyan and Ms. Rabi Isma joins the Board of the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria as Non-Executive Directors
AdminThe Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria (Society) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Koosum Kalyan and Ms. Rabi Isma to its esteemed Board of Directors as Non-Executive Directors.
These appointments mark a significant milestone for the Society as it continues to strengthen its Board leadership with individuals of exceptional expertise and commitment to the pursuit of corporate governance excellence.
Ms. Koosum Kalyan, an accomplished economist and lawyer, brings a wealth of experience to the Board. Her illustrious career has been marked by exemplary leadership and strategic acumen. Having served on the boards of several prestigious companies, Ms. Kalyan’s demonstrated expertise aligns seamlessly with the goals and values of the SCGN. Her insights are anticipated to play a key role in steering the society toward continued success.
Ms. Rabi Isma, with a background in human resources and extensive experience in business partnership within the telecommunications sector, adds a valuable layer of expertise to the Board. Her achievements underscore her dedication to fostering corporate governance best practices. The Society is confident that Ms. Isma’s insights and commitment will significantly contribute to the organization’s mission of promoting ethical and effective corporate governance.
Commenting on these notable appointments, Mr. Muhammad K Ahmad OON, Board Chair and President, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We are happy to welcome Ms. Koosum Kalyan and Ms. Rabi Isma to the Society’s Board. Their wealth of knowledge, experience, and dedication to corporate governance align perfectly with our mission to champion excellence in governance practices across industries. We are confident that their contributions will strengthen our initiatives and drive positive change within the corporate governance community.”
The Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria looks forward to the valuable contributions of Ms. Koosum Kalyan and Ms. Rabi Isma as they embark on this significant journey.
About the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria (SCGN)
The Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria is a leading advocate for corporate governance excellence in Nigeria. Committed to fostering ethical practices and effective governance, the SCGN serves as a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the advancement of corporate governance standards across industries.
Ms Koosum Kalyan
Ms. Koosum Kalyan is a South African businesswoman and economist whose career began in the Electricity Commission in Melbourne Australia as an economist. She subsequently joined Shell South Africa as an economist and became a member of the Shell Global Scenario Planning Team after which she embarked on her expatriate posting to Shell International London for nine years. The scope of her work included projects in Nigeria, Gabon, Mozambique, Tanzania; etc. Ms. Kalyan assisted governments in transforming their energy policies and in joining the Extractive industries Transparency Initiative during her tenure at Shell and assisted in digitising government institutions.
She has served on the Boards of several prestigious companies where she expertly contributed her wealth of knowledge to the progress of these companies and was recently appointed the Chairperson of Control Risk for Southern Africa.
Ms. Kalyan has a B. Com Law degree and a degree in Economics from the University of Urban Westville. She has also completed the Senior Executive Management Program at London Business School and a Leadership Management Program at Shell Leadership Institute.
Ms. Rabi Isma is an Independent Non-Executive Director on the Board of the Stanbic IBTC Bank. She was previously Director of HR Business Partnering & Health and Safety at Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited (operators of 9Mobile). Prior to this, she had served in various roles as HR Consultant and Lead (international assignment) at Etisalat Sri Lanka; Director of Leadership and Organization Development at Etisalat Nigeria. Between 2011 and 2013, Ms. Isma also served as Special Adviser to the Governor of Kano State on matters relating to Non-Governmental Organizations, the policy framework for investment and governance technical reform advisory.
Ms. Isma also served as a Marketing Director for the British Council in Nigeria delivering strategic goals in the organization’s partnership relations across education, marketing and communications. Prior to this, she had for the three preceding years served as Director, of Support Services, where she amongst other things, developed and led the British Council Nigeria strategy for learning and development hubs, corporate communications, customer service support and the national strategy for outreach. Ms. Isma started her career as an Assistant Banking Officer at Guaranty Trust Bank PLC in 1996 and rose to the cadre of Assistant Manager in 2002 when she left the Bank.
Ms. Isma holds a Master of Science (M.Sc.) Degree in International Development from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom; PD Certificate in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution from Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok Thailand; Master of Science (M.Sc.) Economics, Management of Information Services, University of Wales, Aberystwyth; Master of International Affairs and Diplomacy (MIAD), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Computer Science and Economics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
[Nairametrics]
Pop star Davido has parted himself at the back, declaring that being nominated for the just concluded 66th edition of the Grammys Awards was enough to make him carry his shoulder high.
This year’s Grammy Awards was held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles last Sunday night.
Davido, who’s a first time Grammy nominee, failed to win any of the three categories he was nominated for, as well as other Nigerian nominees.
However, speaking about his journey to stardom in an interview with Rolling Stone, which was posted online, Davido recalled what his Dad told him that despite the loss he remains a legend.
“Being nominated alone is enough to make me proud of myself. I just want my song to be heard on the radio once or twice in the beginning, but for it to transcend to this is just amazing and God’s doing.
“I was on the phone with my dad yesterday and he was like ‘Son no matter what happens, you are still a legend’. So yeah, he is a big fan,” he said.
[Vanguard]
A former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Otunba Segun Adewale, has blamed the repeated electoral defeats of the opposition party in the state on lack of unity in the party.
Naija News reports that Adewale stated this on Thursday while speaking with newsmen in Lagos.
The PDP chieftain also attributed the party’s serial electoral loss to the mismanagement of election funds by party leaders and their anti-party activities.
Adewale, who was the Lagos West Senatorial District PDP Candidate in 2023, said the case of the 2023 election was higher, adding that until the party leaders changed their ways, it would be difficult for PDP to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
He said, “How Lagos PDP leadership mismanage election funds each election year will not allow the party to win elections in the state. This happens every election year.
“It happens every four years. One of the 2023 general elections was higher.
“Out of all the money released to Lagos PDP to prosecute the 2023 election, less than 50 per cent got to the state and the party foot soldiers.
“It was the one that I brought into the state to fund the election that the party’s foot soldiers got, others collected the money and pocketed it.
“I saw for the first time how few Lagos PDP leaders spent election mobilisation funds in the last 2023 general elections.
“I was involved last year and it was horrible the way the money got taken away by a few Presidential Campaign Council, PCC leaders.”
The former party chairman further alleged that some PDP Presidential Campaign Council members compromised in the 2023 general elections.
Adewale said that he had video evidence to prove that some PDP leaders, including some of the Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council members, worked for the ruling APC in the last election.
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Men of the Nigerian Navy Jubilee in the Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have arrested 10 suspects and impounded a vessel containing a petroleum product suspected to be crude oil in the state.
The Commander of NNS Jubilee in Ikot Abasi, Commodore Madumom Ide, disclosed this to journalists at Ibaka in the Mbo Local Government Area of the state on Friday, noting that the vessel impounded was called Motor Tanker Queen Hansal.
He, however, added that the suspects and vessel were arrested on December 28, 2023.
Ide said, “10 suspects were arrested, all Nigerians, one captain, and nine crew members in the vessel. The vessel as it stands has a capacity of 1,022 tonnes (and) translates to over 7,000 barrels of oil which is over N800m.
“Imagine what that amount will do for the community and country at large.”
He stressed that the Nigerian Navy was committed to safeguarding the maritime space and warned criminal elements involved in economic sabotage to desist or be arrested.
The Christian Association of Nigerians in the 19 Northern States and Abuja, on Friday, expressed concern over the prevailing harsh economy, declaring that the suffering in the country is becoming unbearable to ordinary Nigerians.
Besides, the organisation noted that of grave concern was the increasing security challenges as well.
This is coming on the heels of similar concern raised by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar lll-led Jama’atu Nasril Islam that urged both federal and state governments to intervene in the prevailing economic hardship which had forced Nigerians into protests.
The PUNCH reports that on Monday through Tuesday, angry youths and women took to the streets of Minna, the Niger State capital, and Kano to protest what they described as the rising cost of living in the country.
Similar protests also erupted in Ondo State in the Southwestern part of the country.
In Niger, a group of women reportedly blocked the ever-busy Minna-Bida Road at the famous Kpakungu Roundabout and called on the Tinubu administration to address the challenge of ‘hunger in the land.’ The mob deflected attempts to quell the protest by security operatives who fired tear gas canisters into the crowd and arrested others.
In the face of this, the Northern CAN, in a statement released by its Secretary-General, Elder Sunday Oibe, in Kaduna, called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, step in and address the depressing economic and escalating security situation in the country.
According to the organisation Secretary, the suffering in the country is becoming unbearable for ordinary Nigerians as the high cost of foodstuffs, transportation, goods, and services have made life difficult for many Nigerians.
All these, he argued, were being compounded by the escalating insecurity occasioned by rampant killings and kidnapping for ransom.
He also said the Christian body was sad over the continued attack on Plateau State, where no fewer than 300 people were killed while calling on the government to do everything possible to halt the killings not only in Plateau but across the country.
The statement is entitled, “The Federal Government should urgently address the escalating insecurity and hunger in the country.”
It said, “The Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory wishes to express its deep concern over the prevailing economic hardship and the increasing security challenges across the country.
“The suffering in the country is becoming unbearable for ordinary Nigerians. The high cost of foodstuffs, transportation, goods, and services has made life difficult for many Nigerians.
“The epileptic power supply has led to the collapse of many small businesses.
“The continued decline in the value of the naira and the seeming inability of the government to address the situation has completely weakened the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerians.
“The situation is further compounded by escalating insecurity occasioned by rampant killings and kidnapping for ransom.
“Unless justice is done, by ensuring that the perpetrators and whoever are the sponsors are brought to book, all the talks about peace may be mere rhetorics.
“Government must take urgent steps to address the depressing economic and escalating security situation in the country.
“We called on governments at all levels to support our security agencies with all that is required to fight these criminals.
“We also called on Nigerians to cooperate with security personnel and pray for them as they confront these enemies of the nation.”
This was just as the Northern CAN blasted regional groups such as the Arewa Consultative Forum, the Northern Elders Forum, as well as some Northern Senators for opposing the government plan of relocating some departments in the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, from Abuja to Lagos.
“It is unfortunate that we introduce ethnic and regional sentiments in a harmless policy that is meant to streamline operations and make the agencies more effective and reduce cost,” the statement said.
The United States of America Attorney’s Office, Maryland District, has revealed that as a result of a law enforcement operation carried out on February 7, 10 persons were arrested.
The arrests were made at locations throughout Maryland. Also, three search warrants were executed related to an alleged money laundering conspiracy involving more than $9.5 million in proceeds from fraud schemes.
The suspects are believed to include at least two Nigerians.
The Attorney’s Office which made this known in a statement issued on Thursday said that law enforcement agents from the Homeland Security Investigations Mid-Atlantic El-Dorado Task Force, the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service participated in the searches and arrests.
The statement added that additional suspects were at large.
The statement further noted that a federal grand jury in Maryland returned two indictments in 2023 that were unsealed upon the arrests of the defendants.
The statement identified the arrested suspects in a Case Number: 23-CR-411 (MJM) to include: 38-year-old Adanegbe Gift Osemwenkhae, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; 26-year-old Emily Gil Arias, of Silver Spring, Maryland; 30-year-old Fatoumata Boiro, of Largo, Maryland; 31-year-old Lakeisha Parker, of Baltimore; 35-year-old Martin Ogisi, of Severn, Maryland; 30-year-old Blondel Ndjouandjouaka, of Silver Spring, Maryland; 33-year-old Kevin Colon, of Curtis Bay, Maryland and 27-year-old Lorena Perez Herrera, of Silver Spring, Maryland.
Also arrested in Case Number: 23-CR-304 (MJM) were 40-year-old Yahye Sowe, popularly known as “Cash,” of Largo, Maryland and 24-year-old Areal El-Lovieta Harris, of Hanover, Maryland.
The Attorney’s Office stated that the defendants had initial appearances on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Austin after their arrest.
“Osemwenkhae, Ogisi, and Ndjouandjouaka consented to detention, Sowe and Boiro were detained pending detention hearings scheduled for February 9, 2024, and the remaining defendants were released on conditions under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services.
“The indictments were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Washington, D.C. Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Nicolas Evans of the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General (“EPA OIG”); and Special Agent in Charge Ken DeChellis, of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Cyber Field Office (“DCIS”).
“According to the indictments, the defendants allegedly created and used limited liability companies and other shell businesses to open bank accounts on which the shell entities were listed as the account holders.
“Members of the conspiracy had signature authority for the bank accounts, at times using aliases or stolen identities.
“The defendants and their co-conspirators used the bank accounts to receive money obtained from the fraud victims.
“The victims included government agencies, organizations, and companies, such as an environmental trust, an urban redevelopment program, a medical center, a transportation and logistics company, a school district, a college, and a county government, among others,” the statement added.
It further stated that some of the co-conspirators obtained and used forged and counterfeited identification documents, including documents bearing the names of individual identity theft victims.
“As detailed in the indictments, the victims were deceived into sending money to the conspirators’ bank accounts based on false pretenses, such as being provided with false bank account information for legitimate vendor payments and false wire transfer information for legitimate transactions.
“After the fraudulently obtained funds were received in the bank accounts, the defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly engaged in financial transactions to conceal and disguise the nature and source of the money through cash withdrawals, the purchase of cashier’s checks, debit card transactions, and by transferring funds to other bank accounts controlled by the conspirators.
“According to the indictments, the defendants obtained and used a portion of the fraud proceeds for themselves.”
According to the statement, the defendants allegedly used some of the fraud proceeds to purchase vehicles, some of which were shipped or attempted to be shipped outside the United States.
“As alleged in the indictment, the defendants also engaged in international financial transactions and caused fraud proceeds to be sent outside the United States.
“The indictment further alleges that the defendants in case 23-CR-411 (MJM) and their co-conspirators collectively conducted and attempted to conduct financial transactions involving more than $9.5 million in fraud proceeds.
“The indictment in 23-CR-304 (MJM) alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators conducted and attempted to conduct financial transactions involving more than $2 million in fraud proceeds.
“If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the conspiracy and for each count of money laundering. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
“United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HSI Mid-Atlantic El Dorado Task Force, IRS-CI, EPA-OIG, and DCIS for their work in the investigation and recognized the Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County and Montgomery County Police Departments for their assistance.
“Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Stephanie Williamson, who are prosecuting these cases. He also recognized the assistance of the Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber.”
he Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of Abdulazeez Isah to three years imprisonment for parading himself as a staff member of the agency.
Abraham Adama and Uzoma Isaac Iwu were also jailed for fraud by Justices Darius Khobo and A. Isiaka of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna.
While Justice Isiaka jailed Isah after pleading guilty to a one-count charge bordering on impersonation, Justice Khobo handed Adama two years imprisonment for cheating by impersonating American movie star, Sylvester Stallone on social media and three years to Iwu for cybercrimes.
The charge against Isa reads: “That you Abdulazeez Isah sometime in November 2023 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, committed an offence of impersonation to wit: falsely presenting yourself as a staff of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the general public, which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.”
The charge against Adama reads: “That you Abraham Adama (a.k.a Sylvester Stallone) (m), sometime in 2023 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, committed an offence to wit: cheating by impersonation when you falsely presented yourself as Sylvester Stallone (an American actor) on several online social media applications to several unsuspecting victims and in that assumed character cheated one Amelia James of the total sum of $200.00 (Two Hundred USD) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law of 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”
The charge against Iwu reads: “that you ISAAC UZOMA IWU (a.k.a This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) on or about the 18th of January, 2024 at NITEL Quarters of Sabo Axis, Kaduna State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court falsely presented yourself as Man Paul Markus and in that assumed character defrauded members of the public by luring them into investing into Crypto Currency via your email address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.”
The three defendants pleaded guilty to their charges when they were read to them.
Based on their pleas, EFCC lawyers, M.U Gadaka and K.S Ogunlade prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Isiaka convicted and sentenced Isah to three years imprisonment or a fine of N150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) while Justice Khobo convicted and sentenced Adama to two years prison term with a fine option of N150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) and Iwu to three years imprisonment or a fine of N150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira).
Isah bagged his imprisonment by falsely parading himself to unsuspecting members of the public as a member of staff of the EFCC. Upon arrest, he admitted financing the production of fake T-shirts, identity cards and caps of the Commission found in his possession.
Adama impersonated Sylvester Stallone (an American actor) while Iwu got his imprisonment by indulging in internet crimes.