Nigeria anti corruption police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arrested a 63 years old man, Ernesto Chukwudum Chukwukamma who allegedly presented himself as a journalist working with the EFCC to defraud an unsuspecting victim a sum of two million naira with the pretense to help discontinue the investigation of $4.5 billion fraud in the Nigeria Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF.

Details of this report and other news  as made available by the Public Relations Department of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC reads verbatim below:

EFCC Arrests Fake Journalist for Claiming to Stop Investigation of Alleged $4.5bn PTF Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested a fake Journalist, Ernesto Chukwudum Chukwukamma for alleged extortion, impersonation and obtaining ₦2,000,000.00, ( Two Million Naira) under false pretence to influence the investigation of the sum of $4,500,000,000.00, (Four Billion, Five Hundred Million United States Dollars) alleged Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF Fraud.

Chukwukamma, 63, was arrested for allegedly threatening the life of a petitioner and receiving financial inducement from him to stop the investigation of $4,500,000,000.00 alleged Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF Fraud.

The suspect allegedly presented himself to the petitioner as a journalist attached to the EFCC. He also allegedly informed the petitioner that other Journalists who are members of a Correspondence Chapel attached to the Commission had a report of how he stole the sum of $4,500,000,000.00) in the process of winding up the activities of the Petroleum Trust Fund.

Investigation revealed that the suspect had already received the sum of ₦2,000,000.00, (Two Million Naira) from the petitioner and was arrested while attempting to withdraw the funds.

He will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.

Lagos Court Jails Eight Filipinos for Cyber-terrorism, Internet Fraud

Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, convicted and sentenced eight Filipinos to one year imprisonment each for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.

The convicts are: Beverlyn Casino, Mae Eribal, Mary Grace Dela Cruz, Jamal Polea, Tricia Castro, Rai Camara, Cherry De Leon and Danica Jarapan

They were arraigned on Tuesday by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on separate charges of possession of fraudulent documents.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Beverlyn Casino sometime in December 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, willfully caused to be accessed, computer systems organized to seriously destabilize and destroy the fundamental economic and social structure of Nigeria when you procured/employed Nigerian youths for identity theft and to hold themselves out as persons of foreign nationality, with the intent to gain a financial advantage for yourselves and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As amended 2024) and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

They all pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them.

In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, N.K. Ukoha, prayed the court to convict the defendants as charged.

Justice Owoeye convicted and sentenced the defendants to one year imprisonment each, with a fine of ₦1,000,000.00, ( One Million Naira).

The Judge also ordered the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS, to ensure that the convicts are repatriated to their country of origin within seven days upon completion of their sentences.

The devices recovered from the defendants were also ordered forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre began when they were arrested by operatives of the EFCC for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud. They are among the 792 suspects rounded up in December 2024 in Victoria Island, Lagos. They were charged to court and jailed.

EFCC Arraigns Man for Alleged ₦23.5 million Visa Scam in Lagos

The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, arraigned one Ewulum Chimeze Felix on an 11-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, stealing, possession of fraudulent documents and forgery to the tune of ₦23,500,280, (Twenty-Three Million, Five Hundred Naira Two Hundred and Eighty kobo) before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.

Chimeze allegedly promised to help the petitioner obtain a United Kingdom visa, work permit as well as a certificate of sponsorship to travel abroad.

He, however, allegedly reneged on his promise after collecting money from the petitioner.

One of the counts reads: “Ewulum Chimezie Felix (Trading Under the name and style of Slenzy Ventures), sometime in 2024 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of ₦18,038,000.00, (Eighteen million Thirty-eight Thousand Naira only) from

Nnochiri Chiedozie Boniface by falsely representing that the money was for procuring the United Kingdom visa and work permit, a representation you knew to be false”.

Another count reads: “ That you, Ewulun Chimeze Felix, on or about 10th March, 2025 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, had in your possession several fraudulent documents, one of which is a forged Florida Driver’s licence with the name “Vojtisek Adriena” ,which you presented to unsuspecting victims, a representation you knew to be false”.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.

In view of this, prosecution counsel, M. B. Isha, prayed for a trial date, and also urged the court to remand the defendant at a Correctional Centre pending his trial date.

The defence counsel, Michael O. Nwigbo, however, informed the court of a pending application for bail for his client, and also prayed for a short date for the hearing.

Consequently, Justice Dada adjourned the matter till June 17, 2025 for the commencement of trial and also ordered the custodial remand of the defendant pending his trial.

Another count reads: “ That you, Ewulun Chimeze Felix, on or about 10th March, 2025 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, had in your possession several fraudulent documents, one of which is a forged Florida Driver’s licence with the name “Vojtisek Adriena”, which you presented to unsuspecting victims, a representation you knew to be false”.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him

In view of this, prosecution counsel, M. B. Isha, prayed for a trial date, and also urged the court to remand the defendant at a Correctional Centre pending his trial date.

The defence counsel, Michael O. Nwigbo, however, informed the court of a pending application for bail for his client, and also prayed for a short date for the hearing.

Consequently, Justice Dada adjourned the matter till June 17, 2025 for the commencement of trial and also ordered the custodial remand of the defendant pending his trial.