An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC operative, Tanko Abubakar, told a court how two men allegedly extorted $700,000 from ex-NPA MD, Muhammad Bello Koko.
He testified on Wednesday before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie at the FCT High Court, Apo, in the trial of Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim.
The EFCC said the men face four counts of impersonation and fraud.
Joshua allegedly posed as EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede’s aide. He and Hashim told Koko he was under investigation and demanded $1 million to stop it.
They later collected $700,000.
Abubakar, an EFCC operative attached to the Land and Property Section of the Ibadan Zonal Command, said he became involved in the case in 2024 after receiving intelligence that the defendants were attempting to defraud Koko.
He told the court that the Abuja Zonal Director had directed him to investigate the allegation.
“The Abuja Zonal Director informed me that there is an intelligence that the first and second defendants were attempting to defraud the former MD, NPA, Muhammad Bello Koko in the sum of $1,000,000.00 and one of the suspects claiming to be a Personal Assistant to the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede,” he said.
Abubakar said Koko subsequently explained that Hashim had claimed to know the purported personal assistant to the EFCC chairman, who allegedly demanded $1 million to halt an investigation involving the former NPA boss.
The witness said Koko introduced him to Hashim, enabling him to contact the second defendant in August 2024 to discuss how the matter could be resolved.
According to him, Hashim later invited him to a meeting at Crystal Palace Hotel, off Gimbiya Street, Area 11, Abuja, where he was told that they needed to meet Joshua, the man purportedly acting as the EFCC chairman’s aide.
Abubakar said the meeting subsequently took place at the legislative quarters in Apo, Abuja, where Joshua arrived in two vehicles and joined the discussions.
He told the court that Joshua asked whether Hashim had informed him of the amount required to close the case.
“The first defendant told me and Koko to bring $1,000,000. I pleaded with him that we cannot raise such an amount,” the witness said.
Abubakar said he offered $300,000, but Joshua rejected the proposal. He then increased the offer to $500,000, which was also turned down.
He said Hashim subsequently intervened and pleaded with Joshua to accept $700,000 to close the purported investigation, an amount to which they eventually agreed.
The witness told the court that he reported the development to his zonal director, who constituted an investigative team comprising himself, Hakeem Lasisi, Abdulhamid Wodi and Olalekan Ogunjobi to plan the operation.
Abubakar said that on August 28, 2024, he informed both defendants that he had returned from Kaduna with the money and was heading to the EFCC headquarters to deliver it.
However, he said Joshua directed him to meet him at an A.A. Rano filling station along Lugbe Road, Abuja.
According to the witness, Joshua arrived in a Hilux vehicle and another jeep, with three armed mobile police officers inside the Hilux, while Hashim also arrived in his vehicle.
Abubakar said EFCC operatives, including Lasisi and Wodi, were present at the location but could not arrest the suspects because Joshua had armed police officers with him, while the commission’s operatives were unarmed.
He said he subsequently contacted his office, which mobilised armed personnel for the operation.
The witness told the court that he later informed Hashim that the money was ready and was directed to meet him at Crystal Palace Hotel in Area 11.
Abubakar said that after Joshua failed to answer his telephone call, he sent him a text message confirming that the money was available.
Joshua later called back and directed him to meet Hashim, the witness added.
He said he drove to Gimbiya Street and showed Hashim the bag containing the money, prompting members of the EFCC team to move in and arrest him.
According to Abubakar, Hashim initially denied knowing Joshua’s residence but eventually led the operatives there after Joshua requested a video call to confirm that the money was ready.
The witness said Joshua’s wife allowed the EFCC operatives into the house to conduct a search, during which Joshua was found inside his store and arrested.
Both defendants were later taken to the EFCC headquarters.