Crime
Prominent Businessman, Politician’s Bail Revoked Amid Grandstanding Video Controversy
In a significant development, Justice O.O. Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has nullified the bail previously granted to Ericbona Ushie, a well-known businessman and politician facing allegations of a N35 million fraud.
The court has slated the next hearing for June 20, 2024, providing an opportunity for the defense to contest video evidence presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The footage suggests that Ushie, originally from Cross River State, was not in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service as expected.
The EFCC had formally charged Ushie on February 12, 2024, with a total of 13 offenses, including stealing, obtaining under false pretenses, use of false documents, forgery, and possession of fraudulent documents, amounting to N35,397,000.
One of the counts reads: “Ericbona Eliom Ushie, sometime in 2023, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly converted the total sum of N35,397,000.00, property of Calibration and Non-destructive Services Limited for your own use.”
Another count reads: “Ericbona Eliom Ushie, sometime in 2023 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud the aggregate sum of N35,397,000.00 property of Calibration and Non-destructive Services Limited under the pretense that the said sum was for the purpose of securing an award of contract from Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.”
Pleading “not guilty” to the charges, Ericbona Ushie initiated his defense.
Subsequently, Bilikisu Buhari, representing the EFCC, informed the court about the prosecution’s plan to present 13 witnesses in support of their case.
In response, the defense counsel, C.C. Orji, apprised the court of the defendant’s bail application.
C.C. Orji stated, “We have also served the same on the prosecution.”
In response, Bilikisu Buhari conveyed that the prosecution opposed the bail and had submitted a counter-affidavit.
Orji urged the court to grant bail to the defendant, highlighting that Ushie had been in EFCC custody since December 2, 2023.
Emphasizing the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, Orji made a case for the defendant’s right to bail.
He said “He is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
Orji continued to assert that Ushie posed no flight risk and appealed to the court for self-recognition.
However, the prosecution countered, citing a court order as the basis for his detention in EFCC custody and pointing out additional pending cases with various courts.
Justice Abike-Fadipe, rejecting release to the defense counsel, ordered Ushie’s remand in prison custody.
The court scheduled the next hearing and ruling on the bail application for February 22, 2024.
In the verdict on the bail application, Justice Abike-Fadipe approved bail for Ericbona Ushie, setting the sum at N35 million.
The conditions included two sureties of equal value, required to reside and possess property within Lagos, along with proof of tax payment for the last three years.
While granting bail, the court also directed Ushie to be remanded in prison custody until the fulfillment of the specified bail conditions.
On February 26, 2024, Bilikisu Buhari alerted the court to a viral video circulating on social media.
The video depicted the defendant, Ericbona Ushie, comfortably posing in his Lekki residence in Lagos State, claiming he was never arrested, detained, or sent to prison by any court.
In the video, presented in open court, Ushie, who was supposed to be in prison custody, sat at his dining table with a plate of jollof rice, a bottle of water, and a pack of juice, boldly asserting, “I wasn’t arrested.”
Boasting further, Ushie retorted: “It baffles me, the energy [some people] use to try to destroy…It is disheartening… I am sitting in the comfort of my house… Today is the 18th February [2024] Sunday, the day before yesterday was 16th… I don’t know, one element of no commercial value posted something on Facebook; anybody can sponsor any post… and then, they go ahead to say that me, Ericbona Eliom Ushie, Honourable, [that] I am in prison… e be like say Nigeria Prisons dem don dey get prison wey dey [fine] like this [my beautiful house] o.”
Justice Abike-Fadipe, taken aback by the video, revoked the previously granted bail to the defendant.
The court issued a new order, mandating Ushie to stay in prison custody until June 20, 2024, the scheduled date for the defense to counter the contents of the aforementioned video.
Former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has been granted bail in the sum of N20 million after pleading not guilty to a six-count charge bordering on alleged certificate forgery filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Nnaji was arraigned on Monday before the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the ICPC accused him of forging academic credentials, including a degree certificate allegedly issued by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The anti-corruption agency also alleged that the former minister presented a fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate during his ministerial screening in 2023.
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The defendant, who served in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet as Minister of Science and Technology from August 16, 2023, until his resignation on October 6, 2025, denied all the allegations after the charges were read before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Following a bail application by his lead counsel, Chief James Onoja (SAN), the court admitted Nnaji to bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety in like sum.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the surety must be a civil servant resident in Abuja and not below Grade Level 15. The court further directed the surety to depose to an affidavit of means.
As part of the bail conditions, the former minister was ordered to surrender his international passport and barred from travelling outside Nigeria without the court’s permission.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter until July 21, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
Nnaji’s arraignment followed his arrest by security operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on July 1, shortly after returning to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The ICPC had earlier confirmed that the arrest was carried out to facilitate investigations into the allegations against him.
The case is expected to proceed with the presentation of evidence when trial begins later this month.
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.
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