The operatives recovered items including over 50 mobile phones of different brands, 15 laptops and a Lexus ES330 saloon from the suspects.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced that its operatives at the Abuja Zonal Command arrested 49 suspected internet fraudsters.
The commission in a statement said the suspects who are between the ages of 19 and 32 were arrested in a sting operation conducted in various homes at Navy Estate, Cajaah-Orozo, a suburb of Abuja, following credible intelligence on their alleged criminal activities.
According to the statement, the operatives recovered items including over 50 mobile phones of different brands, 15 laptops and a Lexus ES330 saloon from the suspects.
EFCC stated that the suspects will be charged as soon as the investigations are concluded.
In a similar development, the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Commission on Wednesday arraigned the Auditor-General for local government areas of Yobe State, Alhaji Yahaya Wakil Idris, before Justice Mohammed Lawu Lawan of the Yobe State High Court in Damaturu.
Idris was arraigned on one count of criminal misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N19.9 million.
The count preferred against Idris read, ''That you, Yahaya Lawal Idris, being the Auditor General for Local Government, Yobe State, between the 20th to 21st day of May 2017 at Damaturu, Yobe State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, received the sum of N19,900,000.00 via your personal account number 1001480930 with account name Alhaji Yahaya Idris domiciled with United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) from the Local Government Audit Account Number 5030030060 domiciled with Fidelity Bank Plc for the purchase of a Brand new Toyota Corolla 2015 Model, did dishonestly misappropriated the gross sum of N10,100,000.00 (Ten Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira) only being the money made for the purchase of the said brand new Toyota Corolla 2015 for the office of the Local Government Auditor General, Yobe State, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 308 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Yobe State of Nigeria and punishable under section 309 of the same Law.”
However, the accused Auditor-General pleaded 'not guilty’ to the charge. Hence the counsel for the prosecution, J. A. Ojogbane, who appeared alongside M. A. Ahmed, asked the court for a trial date.
But the counsel for the defendant, M. Baba Zau, through an application for bail, prayed the court to admit his client to bail pending the determination of the case.
In his ruling, Justice Lawan admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N2 million with one surety in like sum. The surety must have landed property in Damaturu.
Justice Lawan thereafter adjourned the matter till November 30, 2022, for the commencement of the trial.