Crime
Witness Reveals How $15.8m Was Delivered To Ex-Benue Governor In ₦3.1bn Fraud Case
Amid the ongoing trial of former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, a Bureau de Change operator, Abubakar Umar testified on Saturday before the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
Umar disclosed that in 2014, he converted ₦3.1 billion into $15.8 million and delivered the cash to Suswam, providing critical insight into the alleged financial misconduct as the proceedings continue under Justice Peter Lifu’s oversight.
As the sixth prosecution witness in the case, Umar revealed that the funds were transferred to him by Suswam through a proxy during his tenure as governor.
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Umar explained that the transaction occurred in tranches, with the first installment of ₦413 million hitting his account on August 8, 2014.
The total sum eventually amounted to ₦3.1 billion, which Umar then converted to U.S. dollars at a rate of ₦197 per dollar.
The witness, who is the CEO of Fanffash Resources, testified that he delivered the equivalent $15.8 million in cash to Suswam at his Maitama, Abuja residence.
This testimony is part of an ongoing trial involving Suswam and his former Commissioner of Finance, Omodachi Okolobia, who are facing 11 amended counts of money laundering.
The charges stem from the alleged diversion of funds from the sale of Benue State government shares, which were held by the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited and sold through Elixir Securities Limited and Elixir Investment Partners Limited.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is prosecuting the case, alleges that Suswam and Okolobia laundered part of the proceeds of the sale, amounting to ₦3.1 billion.
According to a statement from Dele Oyewale, Head of Media & Publicity at the EFCC on Saturday, the case has been ongoing since 2018, with Umar’s testimony playing a crucial role in the prosecution’s argument.
Led by prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Umar testified that the money transfers were facilitated by a female intermediary, though her identity was not disclosed in the court proceedings.
The trial continues as both Suswam and Okolobia face the amended charges of money laundering in connection with the alleged misappropriation of state funds.
He said, “One day in 2014, when I was in the office, the former governor of Benue State asked me to meet him in his house in Maitama, Abuja. I went and met him in the house together with one fair woman.
“He asked me to give the woman my account number. I gave the woman my Zenith Bank account number. The woman said she’ll send money into that account.
“On the 8th of August 2014, N413 million was transferred to my account. Based on this, I called the former governor and he told me to change the money to dollars and I asked him to give me time to do that. Three days after I bought the dollar equivalent, I called the former governor and informed him that the money was ready.
“He now asked me to take the money to his house in Maitama, near Jumat Mosque. I now told him that he should inform the security at the gate that I was coming, if not they’ll not allow me access into the gate. I took a cab to the house, and after I arrived at the house, I knocked at the gate and they opened. I told them my name.
“They opened the first and second gates and I sat in the waiting room where he came and met me. I now brought out the money which we both confirmed to be the equivalent of the N413 million. The exchange rate then was N197.”
“On the 12th of September 2014, N637 million was transferred to my account. After N637million was transferred to my account, after like 40 minutes N363 million was also transferred into my account. On 13th October 2014, N630, 008,50, (Six Hundred and Thirty Million, Eight Thousand and Fifty Naira) was also transferred to my account.
“On 17th October 2014 1,0068,000 (One Billion, Sixty-eight Million) was transferred to my account. It is the woman that was directed by the former governor to do the transfers. The total money transferred to my account was N3 billion.” he added
The witness confirmed that he was not arrested by the EFCC for giving testimony in favor of the defendant, nor was he pressured by the Commission to testify against the defendant.
He also revealed that he did not maintain receipts or formal records of the transactions, explaining that he buys dollars from other traders and records the details at his own discretion.
However, the case was adjourned until October 4, 2024, for further proceedings.
The Ogun State Police Command has taken a 56-year-old man, Madarikan Emehinola, into custody in connection with a suspected arson incident that claimed the life of his 40-year-old wife, Igbagbo Erobe, in the Igbo-Edu area of Ogun Waterside Local Government Area.
The incident was reported at the Abigi Divisional Police Headquarters on Sunday, October 18, 2026, following information that a house had been set ablaze, resulting in the woman’s death.
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The Ogun State Police Command disclosed the development in a press release issued on Sunday, stating that the husband was in custody in connection with the incident.
The deceased’s body has been deposited at a mortuary for post-mortem examination to establish further details surrounding her death.
The police also disclosed that the case was being processed for transfer to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.
The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, CP Bode Ojajuni, psc, FCSS, MNIPR, assured the public that the matter would be investigated diligently and professionally in accordance with the law.
According to the statement, the commissioner assured the public that “the matter will be investigated diligently and professionally in accordance with the law.”
Ojajuni reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, stressing that allegations of serious crimes would receive appropriate investigative attention.
The command also called on members of the public to report suspicious activities promptly and provide credible information that could assist crime prevention and ongoing investigations.
“The Command urges members of the public to report suspicious activities promptly and provide credible information that may assist crime prevention and ongoing investigations,” the statement read.
The circumstances surrounding the fire and the alleged involvement of the husband remain subject to investigation.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an 85-year-old woman, Grace Ehimeka, after recovering 179 kilogrammes of skunk from her during anti-drug operations in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Ehimeka was among six suspects arrested during raids conducted by NDLEA operatives in the area as part of a series of nationwide operations targeting illicit drugs.
The operations in Edo State also led to the recovery of another 220.8 kilogrammes of skunk, alongside smaller quantities of cannabis and other controlled substances.
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The arrest was one of several recorded during the agency’s nationwide operations, which resulted in major drug seizures across multiple states.
In Lagos, the NDLEA seized 8,725 kilogrammes of tramadol hydrochloride powder worth over ₦6.98 billion at Apapa Port. The shipment, which originated from India, had been declared as maize starch.
The agency also intercepted cannabis concealed in palm oil at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. The consignment was allegedly intended for Saudi Arabia, while two suspects were arrested in connection with the case.
In Ondo State, operatives destroyed an estimated 7,500 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated on three hectares of farmland and arrested five suspects.
Other seizures were recorded in Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory, including large quantities of tramadol, Exol-5 tablets and cannabis.
The operations formed part of the NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to disrupt the trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs across the country.
A 70-year-old man, Alhaji Saleh Kasim, has been killed during a bandit attack on Gamji Village in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State, while 27 abducted residents have been rescued by security forces.
The Katsina State Government disclosed this in a press release issued on Saturday by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Nasir Mu’azu.
According to the statement, about 40 armed bandits, led by a suspected gang leader identified as Kachalla Alhaji Bawa Kabir, invaded the community in the early hours of October 16, 2026.
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The attackers reportedly arrived on 20 motorcycles, abducted 27 residents, mostly women, children and elderly people, and rustled six cows.
The government said Kasim was shot dead during the attack.
Following credible intelligence, troops of the 17 Brigade, working with local hunters and the Community Watch Corps, moved to block the attackers’ escape routes towards the Madaci forest enclave.
At about 6 p.m. on the same day, the troops engaged the bandits at Tashar Bawa forest and successfully rescued all 27 abducted residents.
The rescued victims were subsequently taken to the Machika Military Forward Operating Base for medical attention.
The statement added that joint security teams had commenced clearance operations to flush out the remaining members of the gang and prevent possible reprisal attacks on the community.
The Katsina State Government, under Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, reaffirmed its commitment to protecting residents across the state.
Mu’azu commended the troops and community-based security groups for their swift response to the incident.
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