Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Two men have appeared before a Federal High Court in Awka, Anambra State, facing charges of conspiracy, fraudulent impersonation, and obtaining money under false pretences to the tune of N8.9 million. The defendants, Samuel Inalegwu Okpala and Ezelibe Emmanuel Nzube, were brought before Justice Bala Khalifa-Mohammed Usman on Thursday by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The four-count charge, which the court read to the defendants, detailed two specific schemes. One count alleges that Okpala induced one Clara Uwakonye to part with N5.5 million a year ago in Onitsha under the pretence of a profitable return on an investment—a representation the EFCC says he knew to be false. Another count states that Nzube, using a Samsung A05 mobile phone and a fake Facebook account, fraudulently impersonated one Michael Michael in 2025 to obtain money from a victim named Lisbeth Hojiund.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read. Following their pleas, Somtochukwu C. Anyanwu, counsel for the EFCC, asked the court to set a date for trial. He also requested that Okpala and Nzube be remanded at the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Awka pending further proceedings. The court adjourned the matter to Wednesday, 29 April 2026 for the hearing of the defendants' bail applications.
The EFCC alleges that Okpala operated a sham investment scheme that lured several victims with promises of returns, only to vanish after collecting their funds. Okpala faces a charge brought under Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, which is punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act. Nzube, accused of supporting the operation through identity theft and fake social media accounts, is charged under Section 22(2)(b)(i)-(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, which is punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(iv) of that Act.
The case appears to be linked to an earlier investigation in which Okpala and Nzube were arrested by the EFCC's Enugu office for an alleged ₦35.3 million investment scam that defrauded 32 victims through a digital platform. At the time of his arrest, Okpala was reportedly found with a bank token intended for delivery to Nzube on the instruction of a principal suspect, Chibuike Vincent Izundu, who remains at large. According to EFCC sources, incriminating messages discovered on the fraudsters' mobile phones connected them to Izundu's fraudulent operation. The Zonal Director for the Awka EFCC directorate, Ofen-Imu Atiba Sunday, recently stated that the commission is strengthening its operational capacity in the region to curb fraud and cybercrime.
The court also heard that all efforts by Okpala's victims to recover their money after the "investment" were unsuccessful, while Nzube is alleged to specialise in identity theft and romance scams. As the bail hearing approaches, the EFCC has stated its commitment to aggressive prosecution of all cases filed before the court.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments