The second prosecution witness (PW2), Akeem Lasisi, in the trial of Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim before Justice J. O. Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, Abuja, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, narrated how his team arrested the defendants, who allegedly impersonated officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Joshua, the first defendant, allegedly claimed to be the Personal Assistant to the Commission’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, in a bid to defraud former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello Koko, of $700,000.
The EFCC is prosecuting Joshua and Hashim on an amended four-count charge bordering on impersonation, conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence involving the sum of $700,000 (Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars).
At Wednesday’s proceedings, the witness, an EFCC operative, while being led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Elizabeth Alabi, told the court that he was the leader of Team A of the Cybercrime Unit at the Commission’s headquarters in 2024 and was directed to investigate intelligence indicating that some individuals were impersonating officers of the Commission, with one of them claiming to be Olukoyede’s personal assistant.
According to him: “Under the guise of false identities, the defendants approached the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Mohammed Bello Koko, claiming that his tenure as Managing Director of the NPA was being investigated by the EFCC. They further claimed that the EFCC Chairman and the Director of Operations had requested one million dollars to stop the investigation.”
“Upon receipt of the petition, we contacted Mr. Koko. At that time, he was not in the country, but he confirmed the contents of the intelligence report and stated that one million dollars had been demanded from him. He said he negotiated the amount down to $700,000. He further stated that he told them his brother would contact them for the handover of the cash. At that point, an undercover operative was assigned to maintain communication with the impersonators.”
Testifying further, he stated: “On August 28, 2024, following communications between the undercover operative and the defendants, a location was agreed upon for the exchange of the cash. The team proceeded to AA Rano Filling Station, Airport Road, Abuja, for the arrest. However, a new location was later agreed upon with the undercover operative, identified as Abubakar Tanko. Consequently, the team proceeded to the new location on Gimbiya Street, where our undercover operative took position.”
“Shortly thereafter, the second defendant arrived at the location in a black Toyota Prado SUV with registration number GWA 666 PA. The operative then approached the second defendant to hand over a prepared bag containing dummy US dollar notes. At the point of exchange, my team moved in and effected the arrest of the second defendant.”
The witness further disclosed that the second defendant subsequently led his team to the residence of the first defendant, where he was also arrested. He added that a search was conducted at the residence, leading to the recovery of two mobile phones from the first defendant, while the Prado SUV was recovered from the second defendant.
Following their arrest, he said both defendants were taken to the EFCC headquarters, where they made statements under caution, which were video-recorded in the presence of their lawyers.
At the conclusion of his testimony, the prosecuting counsel sought an adjournment to enable her complete the administrative process of towing the recovered Prado SUV to the court for tendering as an exhibit. She also sought leave of the court to play the video recordings of the defendants making their extrajudicial statements to the EFCC.
Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the applications and adjourned the matter until July 15 and 16, 2026, for continuation of trial.
0 Comments