Fraud: EFCC re-arrests Abuja businessman over N500m scam

Mr Stephen Akpa, a businessman based in the federal capital territory, FCT Abuja has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly involving in a five hundred million naira scam.

The EFCC made this known in a statement released on Monday, by its Media and Publicity arm which was posted on its website.

According to the Commission, this was not the first time Mr Akpan would be arrested on the same issur.

It said the Abuja-based businessman was initially arrested on December 2, 2022, at his office located in the Idu area of Abuja.

His first arrest followed a petition filed against him and accusing him of receiving the sum of N500m under false pretences, a charge to which he jumped administrative bail granted him ahead of his planned arraignment on five counts.

Mr Akpan ha since then, been on the run as the EFCC states that they had made several attempts to nab the suspect but all efforts proved abortive.

The statement read, “Akpa was first arrested by the commission on December 2, 2022, at his office in the Idu axis of Abuja, following a petition alleging that he obtained the sum of N 500, 000, 000 under false pretence.

“He was to be arraigned on a five-count charge when he jumped the administrative bail offered by the commission.

“All efforts to apprehend proved futile until August 9, 2023, when he was re-arrested.

“He will soon be arraigned in court.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC is a Nigerian government agency responsible for managing all financial crimes and tracking and bringing to book, all who indulge in financial crimes within Nigeria’s territorial definition.

In another story, the Nigerian Navy says it has arrested 10 suspected pipeline vandals while attempting to steal crude from the sea in Lagos.

The security operatives made this knowm in a statement by the Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Kolawale Oguntuga, who paraded the suspects at the NNS Beecroft Naval Base parade ground, Apapa Lagos on Monday.

After the parade, the commander handed the oil thieves over to the Area Commander of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Musa Jubril.

Oguntuga who addressed journalists said, the suspects were arrested in the early hours of Sunday at the Single Point Mooring buoy, a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited’s facility where tankers unload products, which are eventually transferred into tank farms for distribution.

He said they were arrested in three speedboats with over 100 pieces of 50-litre jerry cans with hoses connected to drain the product from the vessel.

“In the early hours of Sunday, the technology electronically detected intruders on board the SBM operated by the NNPCL. Immediately a patrol team was activated and on getting there, 10 suspected vandals and oil thieves were found onboard this facility with divers equipment; pumping machines and hoses to steal crude products, and they were apprehended.

“We are here today to hand over these oil thieves to the public security agency to carry out their due diligence.

“They were arrested around 2am on board the facility with over 100 pieces of 50-litre jerry cans. Some were already inside while others were on the boat controlling and channelling the hoses into the cans,” he said.

Jubril of the NSCDC appreciated the Navy for the good work they had been doing, stressing that the agency will unravel the sponsors of the thieves.

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