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EFCC Embraces Global Best Practices, Reviews Bail Terms

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Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reviewed its operations in line with international best practices, the 1999 Constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2011 and its Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

 

These were detailed in a statement Head of Media and Publicity, EFCC, Dele Oyewale, in which he made it clear that there would be no more blanket arrest and detention of suspects.

 

It was gathered that the anti-graft agency would in line with international practices, put an end to arbitrary confiscation of suspects’ international passports, while they were being investigated.

 

Consequently, the EFCC directed its entire staff to exercise discretion in demanding suspects’ passports.

 

Operatives were also directed to ask for reasonable and practicable bail conditions from suspects and their sureties.

 

According to a statement by the anti-graft agency rolled out new conditions following the review of its guidelines on arrest, bail and processing of suspects.

 

It stated, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has reviewed its guidelines on arrest, bail and processing of suspects.

 

“The review, which is premised on the need to adhere to the rule of law and international best practices in the treatment of suspects, was rolled out on Monday, October 31, 2023, across all its Commands.

 

“In the new guidelines, premium attention is focused on the rights of suspects, especially where arrest, detention and bail issues are concerned.

 

“Operational activities are to be tailored towards relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2011, and the EFCC’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).”

 

Therefore, the EFCC directed all its operatives to stop the blanket seizure of International passports of suspects and the imposition of cumbersome bail conditions.

 

“Specifically, operatives of the Commission are not allowed to demand for professional certificates of sureties as a bail condition.

 

“Also, every demand for international passports of suspects would henceforth be exercised with discretion, depending on the nature of the case, personality, and country of residence of the suspect,” it added.

 

Director, Legal and Prosecution Department, EFCC, Silvanus Tahir, SAN, cautioned that, “Bail conditions served on suspects must be reasonable and practicable to be fulfilled by suspects and their sureties.

 

“Detention of suspects without a Remand Warrant for unreasonable length of time beyond the constitutionally allowed period must henceforth stop forthwith.

 

“Officers of the commission are also warned against unwarranted violation of the rights of suspects.”

 

He called for professionalism in all operational activities, stressing that “it is time to have a paradigm shift and change the narrative. Henceforth, professionalism shall be the watchword. Let’s follow the best international standards worth our identity as a flagship law enforcement agency.”

Crime

Dutch Journalist Exposes Heineken’s Corruption In Nigeria, Others

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Dutch investigative journalist, Oliver Beerman has once again turned the spotlight on Heineken’s controversial business operations across Africa, alleging a history of corruption, unethical marketing, and exploitation in his 2019 book The Dark Side of Heineken’s African Beer Empire.

During a book reading event in Abuja on Saturday, Beerman shared insights from his six-year investigation into the brewing giant’s activities in 13 African countries, including Nigeria.

The book paints a damning picture of Heineken’s conduct in the region, with Beerman accusing the company of engaging in practices that undermine local brewers, collaborating with authoritarian regimes, and exploiting weak governance to bypass ethical standards.

READ ALSO: American Woman Shares Her Experience With Nigerian Romance Scams

“Unlike in Western markets, where regulations are stricter, Heineken has operated with far more freedom in Africa,” Beerman stated.

He pointed to the company’s use of marketing tactics disguised as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), such as funding schools in Nigeria’s Enugu state, where the buildings are emblazoned with the Heineken logo and painted in the company’s colors.

“This should be CSR, but in this case, it is another form of advertisement,” Beerman explained.

Beerman also revealed that many African consumers are unaware that brands they consider local—such as Gulder, Star Radler, and Primus—are actually brewed by Heineken.

He highlighted the company’s strategy of creating the illusion of local identity, such as printing the Congolese flag on bottles sold in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while the profits ultimately flow to Heineken’s shareholders abroad.

“They make the product look national, but in the end, the profits go to Heineken outside the country,” Beerman added.

Nigeria, according to Beerman, is by far Heineken’s most important market in Africa, contributing nearly half of the company’s turnover on the continent.

“Nigeria represents half of Heineken’s total turnover in Africa,” Beerman stated. “Lagos, the economic capital, is the heart of a conurbation that 20 million people call home. Nigeria as a whole is more than 200 million strong.”

But the journalist’s findings also expose a darker side to Heineken’s operations. Beerman uncovered a marketing campaign orchestrated by Heineken Nigeria’s CEO, Festus Odimegwu, that allegedly involved the use of sex workers to promote Heineken products.

“In Nigeria, the upper and middle classes drink in clubs without prostitution, but poor people go to bars where you pay 2,000 naira (around $10 at the time) to sleep with a woman,” Beerman recounted.

“So it came to pass that the company designated 500 well-frequented bars as so-called hot spots, where young women had to promote the beer.

“When I ask if they were also encouraged to sleep with the clients, Odimegwu’s eyes grow large as he looks at me, ‘What kind of question is that? Of course, they are prostitutes.’”

When Beerman reached out to Heineken for comment, executives defended the company’s past actions, stating that ethical concerns were not a priority at the time.

“You are looking at the past with eyes of now. Back then, ethical questions were not as important as the present,” Beerman quoted the executives as saying.

However, Beerman countered, “I show in the book that already in the 1990s, people who were already thinking of business ethics had begun asking Heineken questions about some of its practices.”

Beerman’s findings have sparked renewed calls for greater corporate accountability in Africa, where multinational companies are often able to operate with little oversight.

 

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Crime

Adamawa Courts Jail Twelve Internet Fraudsters

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Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,

 

Justices Kayanson Samuel Lawanson, Hammed Isha, Benjamin Manji Lawal and Mohammed Ibrahim Tola of the Adamawa State High Court, Adamawa State have  convicted and sentenced twelve  internet fraudsters to various jail terms.

The convicts include, Oladele Pius, Emmanuel Bulus, Elijah Elisha, Alamin Mohammed Bappa, Jamilu Usman and Enoch Solomon.

The rest are Emmanuel Anthony, Enebeli  Samuel Israel, Dimas Hyellabulatin, Emmanuel Dike , Joshua Umoru and Dan Eden Sunday.

They were separately arraigned between November 6 and 7, 2024  on a one count charge of cheating and impersonation by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

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The charge against Alamin Muhammad Bappa reads: “Alamin Muhammad Bappa sometimes in September, 2024 at Sangere area of Modibo Yola, Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud one Amity Shane and other unsuspecting foreign nationals, created some fake Gmail’ and Facebook accounts using the name Jacob sermon to pose as a cybersecurity professional that helps people to recover their compromised or blocked Facebook accounts for a service fee of $20 each and thereby committed an offense of cheating by impersonation contrary to Section 314 of Penal Code Law of Adamawa State, 2018 and punishable under Section 315 of the same law”.

The charge against Oladele Pius reads: “ that you Oladele Pius sometimes in September, 2024 in Yola, Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, being a student of Modibo Adamawa University of Technology Yola, with intent to defraud, did cheat by Impersonation, Having created and operating one Mr. Legit Hassan Abbadin a foreign national with Whatsapp account No. +1 (842) 921332016, through your Your iphone 11 Model No. MWNC2CH/A for ” a virtual funds transactions” with a motive of gaining a financial advantage from other unsuspecting internet users  and thereby committed an offense of cheating by impersonation contrary to Section 314 of Penal Code Law of Adamawa State, 2018 and punishable under Section 315 of the  same law.

Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges, prompting prosecution counsel Saad .H Sa’ad and M.D Aliyu to pray the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly; however, counsels to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.

Justice Lawanson thereafter convicted and sentenced  Bulus , Elisha, Usman and Israel to ten years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) each. However, Hyellabulati bagged five years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000.

Justice Tola convicted and sentenced Dike, Umoru, Sunday and Pius to five years imprisonment with an option of fine of N2,000,000 (Two Million Naira) each.

Justice Lawal convicted and sentenced Bappa and Solomon to five years imprisonment or a fine of  N200,000 each.

Justice Isha convicted and sentenced Anthony to ten years imprisonment or a fine of  N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira).

The Judges ruled that the mobile phones recovered during investigation be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria .

In addition, Justice Lawal ordered that the sum of $20 recovered during investigation from Bappa and being  proceeds of crime, be returned to the victim.

The convicts were arrested  on September 24, 2024 around Modibo Adamawa University of Technology area of Yola, Adamawa State by  operatives of the Commission  following actionable intelligence linking them with cybercrimes activities. They were charged to court and convicted.

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Crime

NDLEA Nabs Businessman For Using Ingestion To Smuggle Cocaine

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the arrest of a businessman caught attempting to traffic a significant quantity of cocaine.

The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, revealed the arrest on Sunday through his official X account.

According to Babafemi, the suspect had ingested the drugs in a bid to evade detection but was apprehended and forced to excrete the contraband while in custody.

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Sharing a video of the seized drugs, Babafemi issued a stern warning to drug traffickers, especially during the upcoming holiday season.

He wrote, “Detty December: Before you swallow those drugs, please remember that the new @ndlea_nigeria has the capacity and capability to catch you.

“The businessman who excreted this amount of cocaine will not only spend Christmas behind bars but also risks a life sentence at the end of his trial. Beware!”

The agency has ramped up its operations to combat drug trafficking as the year-end festivities approach, a period known for increased criminal activity.

Officials warned that traffickers face severe consequences, including life imprisonment if convicted.

The NDLEA urged Nigerians to avoid involvement in illicit drug activities, emphasizing its readiness to ensure a drug-free festive season.

 

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