The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned the immediate past Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited, Ahmed Dikko, before the Federal High Court in Abuja, over an alleged N1.32bn money laundering scheme linked to the rehabilitation of the state-owned refinery.

Dikko was docked before Justice Inyang Ekwo on a 12-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/360/2026 alongside Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited.

The former refinery boss, who headed the Port Harcourt refinery from March 2020 for about four years, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The EFCC alleged that Dikko laundered the sum of N1,322,839,112.70, said to be proceeds linked to contractors engaged by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, through cash property purchases, undisclosed bank retentions, concealment of funds through third parties and unauthorised foreign exchange transactions.

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According to the anti-graft agency, one of the charges alleged, “That you, Ahmed Adamu Dikko… did directly make cash payment of the dollar equivalent of the sum of N218,375,000 to one Hadeija Bashir for the purchase of Plot 558, Abubakar Umar Street, Katampe Extension, Abuja without passing through a financial institution,” contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The commission further alleged in count eight, “That you Ahmed Adamu Dikko… on or about the 26th of June, 2023… disguised the origin of the sum of N328,710,337.50 paid into the GTBank Account… operated by Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited by OMSA Integrated Services Limited from the transactions involving NNPC Limited allocation of Vacuum Gas Oil for export when you knew that the said sum… constituted proceeds of unlawful activity.”

In count 11, the EFCC accused the former refinery boss of unlawfully converting foreign currency, alleging, “That you, Ahmed Adamu Dikko between October 2022 and May 2025, did convert the aggregate sum of $77,080 through Ibrahim Isa Yaro, which amount did not form part of your known lawful earnings as a former public officer with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd.”

Following his plea, defence counsel, Okechukwu Ajunwa (SAN), urged the court to admit his client to bail pending trial, while EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), opposed the application.

In a ruling, Justice Ekwo admitted Dikko to bail in the sum of N150m with one surety in like sum.

The judge held that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and own landed property valued at not less than the bail sum.

He also directed the defendant to surrender his international passport and ordered that he be remanded in EFCC custody until he fulfilled the bail conditions.

The court subsequently adjourned the matter to October 12, 13 and 14, 2026, for trial.

Courtesy – The Punch

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is poised to arraign the former Managing Director of Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPCL), Jimoh Yisawu, on Friday, and the former Managing Director of Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRCL), Ahmed Dikko, on Wednesday, over separate money laundering charges bordering on hundreds of millions of naira and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Court documents show both matters are before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Yisawu is facing eight charges, including alleged conversions of $789,950 and $122,600, while Dikko is facing 12 counts covering transactions dating back to 2022.

Count one of the eight charges alleged that between October 2023 and May 2025, Yisawu indirectly converted the aggregate sum of $789,950 through one Samaila Bala.

“That you, Jimoh Olasunkanmi Yisawu, the former Managing Director of Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd, between October 2023 and May 2025 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, indirectly converted the aggregate sum of $789,950 through Samaila Bala, which amount did not form part of your known lawful earnings as a former public officer with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (formerly Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation), when you knew that the said sum of $789,950 constituted proceeds of unlawful activity, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(b) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” it read.

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According to Count 2, Yisawu allegedly made various cash payments in excess of N5,000,000 or equivalent amounting in the aggregate to the sum of $789,950 to Samaila Bala without going through a financial institution, an offence the EFCC says contravenes the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The charges further alleged that between February 2024 and March 2025, Yisawu indirectly converted $122,600 through Rasheed Yusuf of Rasheedat Anike Global Ventures, again allegedly in cash and outside the banking system.

“That you Jimoh Yisawu, the former Managing Director of Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd, between January and June 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, used the aggregate sum of N25,563,000 received into your Zenith Bank Plc Account No. 1003198602 and Access Bank Plc Account No. 0001283432 from Jkpeez Impex Co. (a contractor with subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation now Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd) when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum constituted proceed of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2)(d) and punishable under section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended,” it added.

Other counts include: transferring N65,860,000 to Cordros Securities Limited to purchase treasury bills in his name; and retaining N15,000,000 and N3,000,000 respectively, paid into his Stanbic IBTC account by one Olasinka Fragene Justice on behalf of Ebenco Global Link Limited, described as “a contractor to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.”

For Dikko, the EFCC filed 12 charges, including allegations linked to transactions dating back to 2022.

The charges allege that in February 2024, he “indirectly made a cash payment of the dollar equivalent of the sum of N218,375,000.00… to one Hadeija Bashir for the purchase of Plot 558, Abubakar Umar Street, Katampe Extension, Abuja,” without passing the funds through a financial institution.

He is also accused of retaining N100,000,000 and N90,000,000 in separate bank accounts from money paid by Ebenco Global Link Limited, a contractor to PHRC, and of disguising the origin of N90,000,000 through an Access Bank account “operated by Aisha Ahmed Dikko.”

Count 8 alleges that Dikko, alongside Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited, disguised the origin of N328,710,337.50 paid into a GTBank account by OMSA Integrated Services Limited “from the transactions involving NNPC Limited allocation of Vacuum Gas Oil for export.”

Further counts accuse him of taking possession of N59,200,000 from funds routed through Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited; procuring one Ebenezar Oluwagbemiga of Ebenco Global Link Limited to take possession of N356,412,500 on his behalf; converting $77,080 through Ibrahim Isa Yaro; and using his son’s GTBank account to take control of N20,000,000 paid by Ebenco Global Link Limited.

All the offences are said to contravene various sections of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended.

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested two suspected armed robbers over their alleged involvement in a housebreaking and robbery operation in Gadau community, where a couple was tied up and valuables worth about ₦4 million were stolen.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Abubakar, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Tuesday, saying the suspects were apprehended following an intelligence-led investigation.

According to the police, the case was reported on July 3, 2026, by a 28-year-old resident of Gadau Town, who alleged that the attack occurred in the early hours of June 8.

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Abubakar said, “On 3rd July, 2026, a 28-year-old complainant, male, resident of Gadau Town, reported at Gadau Division that on 8th June, 2026, at about 0300hrs, five unknown hoodlums armed with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons broke into his residence.”

He explained that the armed men forced their way into the victim’s bedroom, threatened him and his wife with machetes, restrained them, and made away with several valuables.

The police spokesperson stated, “According to the complainant, the hoodlums forced open his bedroom door, intimidated him and his wife with machetes, tied them up, and carted away valuables. Items stolen include one Jincheng motorcycle, five Android mobile phones, 10 sets of wrappers, the sum of ₦1,000,000 cash, one cap, and three wristwatches, all valued at about ₦4,000,000.”

Following the report, detectives visited the scene and launched an intensive investigation, which led to the arrest of two suspects identified as Salisu Umar, 20, of Gadau Town, and Sadiq Shehu, 20, from Azare in Katagum Local Government Area.

Abubakar said, “Upon receipt of the report, police operatives visited the scene and commenced an intelligence-led investigation. As a result of diligent follow-up, two suspects were subsequently arrested.”

He added, “They are Salisu Umar, 20, of the same address, and Sadiq Shehu, 20, of Azare, Katagum Local Government Area. They underwent preliminary investigation at the Divisional Headquarters.”

The police further revealed that during an identification parade, the complainant’s wife positively identified one of the suspects.

“During an identification parade conducted, the complainant’s wife recognised and pointed out Sadiq Shehu as one of the persons who entered her room and forced her to open the main gate for the other accomplices,” Abubakar stated.

The Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, praised the Divisional Police Officer and his team for the successful operation and directed that the matter be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a thorough investigation.

The commissioner also assured residents that security operatives were making efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects still at large, stressing that everyone found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

The Bauchi State Police Command urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing credible information that could assist security agencies in combating criminal activities across the state.