EFCC Nabs Herbalist
EFCC Nabs Herbalist for Impersonating Buhari’s
Spokesperson, NNPC Boss
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Ilorin Zonal
Office has arraigned a 31-year-old herbalist, Jamiu Isiaka on a
four-count charge in a Kwara State High Court, before Justice M.
Abdulgafar for impersonating the group Managing Director of the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr Maikanti Baru and
the special adviser to the president on Media and Publicity, Mr.
Femi Adesina and duping a Korean national in the process.
The suspect, with others at large,allegedly used the names of
the senior government officials to scam a South Korean national,
Keun Sig Kim to the tune of N30million (Thirty Million Naira) under
a false pretence of securing for him an NNPC approval/marketing
form and license certificate to buy crude oil in Nigeria.
According to Kim, “I transferred Four Thousand, Two Hundred and
Eighty-five United States Dollars, Seventy-one cents only to the
United Bank of Africa, account number 2107575870 in the name of one
Jamiu Isiaka, an associate of Mr Shola Adeshina. It is noteworthy
that this account particulars have been provided severally for me
to make transfer to.”
During interrogation with the officials of the Commission,
Isiaka claimed that he used the money to conduct sacrifice for the
petitioner. He further claimed to have bought a vulture, skin of
elephant, elephant intestine, skull of a lion and liver of gorilla
among others.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Jamiu Isiaka (a.k.a
Femi Adesina ) between the month of April and September 2018 in
Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with
intent to defraud, did obtain the total sum of $88,521,041 (Eighty
Eight Thousand, Five Hundred And Twenty One Dollars, Forty-one
cents] from a Korean national, Keun Sig Kim by false pretences that
the monies was for the procurement of NNPC approval/marketing form
and license certificate to buy crude oil in Nigeria, facts which
you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to
Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences
Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
In view of his not guilty plea, the prosecuting counsel, Andrew
Akoja asked the court for a trial date and prayed that he be
remanded in prison custody.
Justice Abdulgafar ordered the accused to be remanded in Mandala
Prisons and adjourned the matter to June 19, 2019 for commencement
of trial.
Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity