EFCC returns N36 million to school allegedly defrauded by bank workers

Salihu (middle) presenting the money to the proprietor, Chukwuogo.

• Arrests eight for alleged internet fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has returned a sum of N36,186,012 to Mrs. Ifeoma Chukwuogo, proprietress of Jephtah International School, East-West Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as money recovered from three suspected fraudsters, who allegedly diverted the school’s money for their private use.

The suspects include Cyril Ameh Idakwoji, an employee of a new generation bank, who was the account officer of the school; Boma Obama Chisom, who posed as the Customer Relations Officer of the bank and Aderemi Adebayo Moses, who prints fake documents.

Presenting the money to the proprietor, the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of Operations of the EFCC, Mr. Ishaq Salihu, disclosed that apart from the cash recovery, the commission, in the course of investigation, also recovered other suspected proceeds of crime, including a three-bedroom and two two-bedroom bungalows.

He commended the bank for promptly reporting the case. The matter was reported on September 7, after the school’s cheques could not be honored for days.

Salihu explained that at the beginning of every new term, Idakwoji would visit the school to collect fees paid in cash and cheque by parents, and issue deposit slips to the school. Investigations showed that he only lodged the cheques but diverting the cash collected for his personal use. Besides, Idakwoji issued doctored statements of account to the school in a bid to cover up his nefarious actions.

Salihu further disclosed that another accomplice of Idakwoji, Moses, printed fake letterheads of another organization, where he is also the account officer and was using their money to pay Jephtah International School’s workers salaries.

In her response, Chukwuogo thanked the EFCC for its swift response and called on Nigerians to give more support to the commission.

Also, the EFCC has arrested eight suspected Internet fraudsters. The suspects are Samson Olujobi, 28 (a.k.a Mau Rice, Melinda Mcginnis); Abraham Sunday, 32 ( a.k.a. Raymond Dodson); Gabriel Ayo, 25 ( a.k.a. Robert McIntosh, Donald Great); Omotayo Raphael, 25 (a.k.a. Michael Black); Semiu Sunday Olawale, 23 (a.k.a. J. Cabtree); Dafe Onosigho, 27 (a.k.a. Johna Kurz); Ewiolo Elvis, 32 (a.k.a. Morgan Moore), and Usiaka Louis, 22 (a.k.a. Anthony Parker, David Smart, Alfred Norman), were arrested around the Egbeda and Agege areas of Lagos State on August 27, 2017 following intelligence report on their alleged involvement in internet crimes.

The suspects were said to have defrauded their victims of huge sums of money in different currencies posing as Americans in an online dating scam.

Some of the items recovered from the suspects during the raid include six laptop computers, five mobile phones (including two iPhones), one Internet modem and four exotic cars (Toyota Venza, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai and Honda Crosstour).

The suspects will soon be charged to court after investigations are concluded, EFCC said.