Crime
EFCC To Arraign Honeywell Chairman, Ex-First Bank MD, Others Over Alleged N12.3bn Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a 13-count criminal charge against the Chairman of Honeywell Group, Chief Oba Otudeko, and the former Managing Director of First Bank, Olabisi Onasanya.
The charges involve allegations of obtaining N12.3 billion from First Bank under false pretenses.
The case also names Soji Akintayo, a former board member of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, and Anchorage Leisure Ltd., a company linked to Otudeko, as co-defendants.
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The arraignment of all four defendants is scheduled for Monday, January 20, 2025, before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
Details of Alleged Fraud
According to the EFCC, the alleged fraud occurred between 2013 and 2014 in Lagos.
The Commission claims the defendants conspired to obtain the sum in tranches of N5.2 billion, N6.2 billion, N6.15 billion, N1.5 billion, and N500 million.
The funds were allegedly obtained under the guise of credit facilities for V-Tech Dynamics Links Ltd. and Stallion Nigeria Ltd., representations the EFCC says the defendants knew to be false.
Count 1 of the charge states:
“Chief Oba Otudeko, Stephen Olabisi Onasanya, Soji Akintayo and Anchorage Leisure Limited, between 2013 and 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to obtain the sum of N12,300,000,000.00 (Twelve Billion, Three Hundred Million Naira Only) from First Bank Limited on the pretence that the said sum represented credit facilities applied for by V-Tech Dynamic Links Limited and Stallion Nigeria Limited, which representation you know to be false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Additional Counts
The charges include: Allegations that the defendants obtained N5.2 billion on November 26, 2013, under false pretenses.
Allegations that N6.2 billion was fraudulently obtained in the same period for Stallion Nigeria Ltd.
Conspiracy to launder N6.15 billion, an amount the EFCC claims the defendants reasonably ought to have known was derived from unlawful activities.
Count 5 further alleges:
“That you, Chief Oba Otudeko, Stephen Olabisi Onasanya, Soji Akintayo and Anchorage Leisure Limited, on or about the 11th day of December, 2013, in Lagos, procured Honeywell Flour Mills Plc to retain the sum of N1.5 billion, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activities to wit: Obtaining by False Pretence and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c), 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Witnesses and Evidence
In support of its case, the EFCC has listed several witnesses, including representatives of First Bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria, Stallion Nigeria Ltd., and V-Tech Dynamics Ltd.
Named witnesses include Cecelia Majekodunmi, Ola Michael Aderogba, Abiodun Olatunji, Raymond Eze, Abiodun Odunbola, and Adeeyo David.
The EFCC’s list of witnesses also includes Farida Abubakar and Adaeze Nwakoby. The Commission intends to tender documentary evidence and call witnesses to testify about the alleged fraudulent misrepresentation by the defendants.
The EFCC stated that the offences contravene Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and are punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act. Other charges are linked to violations of Sections 18(a) and 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).
Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a 21-year-old man, Samson Onilewaji, after allegedly discovering a suspected human hand, firearms and other items believed to be linked to criminal activities during a routine stop-and-search operation along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
The arrest was confirmed on Friday by the command’s spokesperson, CSP Abimbola Adebisi, who disclosed that the suspect was travelling in an unregistered commercial shuttle bus alongside five other passengers when police officers intercepted the vehicle for inspection.
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According to Adebisi, a thorough search of the vehicle and its occupants led to the recovery of a suspected human right hand, two locally made pistols, one live cartridge, two axes, a Point of Sale (POS) terminal and five ATM cards from the suspect.
She further revealed that preliminary investigations showed the suspect allegedly confessed to recently robbing three people of their valuables, including the POS machine and ATM cards recovered from him.
The police spokesperson said investigators are working to determine the identity of the owner of the suspected human hand, how it came into the suspect’s possession and what it was allegedly intended to be used for.
She added that efforts are ongoing to track down other suspected members of the criminal network believed to be connected to the suspect.
Adebisi stated that the suspect would be arraigned in court after investigations are concluded.
She also quoted the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Tijani Olaiwola Fatai, as reassuring residents of the command’s commitment to tackling violent crimes and ensuring the safety of lives and property across the state.
The police commissioner urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing useful and timely information that could assist security agencies in preventing crime and bringing criminals to justice.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two elderly men aged 84 and 75 for allegedly supplying illicit drugs to secondary school students in Umuahia, Abia State, in a shocking case that has stirred public concern.
The suspects, identified as Godfrey Orji (84) and Godwin Obulunbiya Obiora (75), were arrested in separate intelligence-led operations by NDLEA operatives over their alleged involvement in drug distribution within school communities.
Drugs hidden in patent medicine shop
According to the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Obiora was arrested on June 19, 2026, after credible intelligence linked him to selling illicit substances to students from his patent medicine store located at 4 Club Road, Umuahia.
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A search of the premises reportedly led to the recovery of 4.64 kilograms of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam.
Babafemi stated: “Pa Obiora was arrested by NDLEA operatives following credible intelligence that he was selling illicit substances to young students and others in his patent medicine store.”
Arrest at school exposes second suspect
In a separate operation, Godfrey Orji, a pensioner, was apprehended after he was allegedly caught supplying drugs to students of Saint Silas Secondary School, Old Umuahia.
Security guards at the school reportedly intercepted him and handed him over to the police, who later transferred him to the NDLEA.
One of the teenage students, a 15-year-old SS2 pupil, allegedly confessed during interrogation that the suspect regularly supplied him with drugs, which he also sold to other students.
Students moved to rehabilitation
The NDLEA confirmed that while the two suspects will face prosecution, the affected students have been placed under counselling and rehabilitation programmes as part of efforts to curb drug abuse in schools.
Nationwide crackdown continues
The Abia arrests come amid ongoing nationwide operations by the NDLEA, which also recorded major drug seizures across the country In Lagos, operatives intercepted 9.5kg of ADB-Chminaca, a synthetic cannabinoid concealed in a shipment from China.
Another raid uncovered 300 grams of cannabis (“Loud”) hidden in handbags at a logistics facility.
A drug dealer’s home in Ajah was raided, with codeine syrup and cannabis recovered.
In Kogi State, a suspect was arrested with 1.030kg of methamphetamine hidden in custard containers.
In Oyo State, operatives recovered 1,416kg of skunk during a major raid.
In Edo State, large cannabis farms were destroyed, with over 4,000kg of cannabis recovered or eradicated.
NDLEA vows stronger enforcement
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended operatives across multiple states for their coordinated operations and urged them to sustain the momentum.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to both enforcement and public sensitisation under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
The NDLEA says it will continue its nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks, especially those targeting vulnerable young people in school environments, as investigations and prosecutions continue in the Abia case.
Popular TikTok personality, Fati Cele, has been detained by the Kano State Police Command following the death of her boyfriend, Isma’il Makaye, at her residence in Kano State.
The development was confirmed on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna, who said the social media influencer is currently in custody while investigations continue.
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“Yes, it’s true, the TikToker is currently being detained over the death of her boyfriend, Isma’il Makaye,” Haruna said.
The police spokesperson, however, declined to provide further details regarding the incident, stressing that investigations are ongoing.
Fati Cele, who is originally from Borno State, resides in a rented apartment in the Danbare area of Kano.
She is a well-known content creator on TikTok, where she has built a following of more than 32,000 followers.
According to a source close to the deceased who spoke on condition of anonymity, the incident occurred after Cele allegedly raised an alarm from her residence, claiming there was a fire outbreak.
The source said Makaye was immediately rushed to Nassarawa Hospital for treatment but was later confirmed dead.
It was further gathered that officers attached to the Dorayi Babba Police Division subsequently took the TikTok personality into custody as part of ongoing investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The deceased, Makaye, was a cosmetics trader who lived in the Hotoro Tishama area of Kano.
Family associates disclosed that he was buried at Unguwa Uku Yan Awaki after his remains were released to relatives for burial rites.
The Kano State Police Command has yet to disclose the exact cause of death, maintaining that investigations are still underway.
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