Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The trial of two men accused of impersonating senior officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to extort $700,000 from the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority took a dramatic turn on Wednesday as a prosecution witness detailed the elaborate undercover operation that led to their arrest.
The second prosecution witness, Akeem Lasisi, an EFCC operative, told Justice J.O. Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, how his team tracked and arrested Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim, who allegedly posed as officers of the anti-graft agency to defraud Mohammed Bello Koko, the former NPA boss. Joshua, the first defendant, reportedly claimed to be the Personal Assistant to the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
According to Lasisi, the defendants approached Koko under the false pretence that his tenure as NPA Managing Director was under investigation by the EFCC. They allegedly claimed that the EFCC Chairman and the Director of Operations had demanded $1 million to halt the investigation. Koko, who was out of the country at the time, confirmed the intelligence report upon contact by EFCC operatives. He told investigators that he had negotiated the demand down to $700,000 and informed the impersonators that his brother would handle the cash handover.
Following Koko's cooperation, an undercover operative was assigned to maintain communication with the impersonators. On August 28, 2024, after a series of location changes, the team finally zeroed in on the suspects. The second defendant, Hashim, arrived at a location in Gimbiya Street, Abuja, in a black Toyota jeep with plate number GWA666PA. The undercover operative approached him with a bag containing dummy US dollar notes. At the point of exchange, the EFCC team moved in and arrested Hashim.
Hashim subsequently led the team to the residence of the first defendant, Joshua, where he was also arrested. A search of Joshua's house yielded two phones, while a Prado SUV was recovered from Hashim. Both defendants were taken to the EFCC headquarters, where they made statements under caution, recorded on video in the presence of their lawyers.
Joshua and Hashim are facing an amended four-count charge bordering on impersonation, conspiracy, and obtaining by false pretence. At Wednesday's proceedings, the prosecution sought an adjournment to complete the administrative process of towing the recovered Prado SUV to court for tendering as an exhibit, and to play the video recordings of the defendants' extrajudicial statements. Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the prayers and adjourned the matter until July 15 and 16, 2026, for continuation of trial.
The case has drawn significant attention as it exposes the growing sophistication of fraudsters who exploit the names of senior government officials to perpetrate large-scale financial crimes. For the EFCC, the successful arrest and prosecution of the suspects sends a clear message that impersonation and extortion will not be tolerated, regardless of the identities or connections of the perpetrators.
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