WorldStage— The ongoing trial of Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim who impersonated the Personal Assistant to the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, continued on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Apo, Abuja, with the Second Prosecution Witness, PW2, Tanko Abubakar, narrating how the defendants were arrested over an alleged $700,000 (Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting both defendants on amended four-count charge bordering on impersonation, conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence the sum of $700,000.00.
Joshua, the first defendant who impersonated the Personal Assistant to Olukoyede, had conspired with Hashim, the second defendant and obtained the sum of $700,000.00 from a former Managing Director, Nigerian Port Authority, NPA, Muhammad Bello Koko.
Both defendants hid under the false identity of EFCC operatives and approached Koko, claiming that his tenure as the M.D of NPA was being investigated by the EFCC, and further claimed that the EFCC Chairman and the Director of Operations requested $1,000,000 (One Million United States dollars) to stop the investigation. They finally settled with their victim on the sum of $700,000.00.
Abubakar testified as the PW2 after the prosecution counsel, Elizabeth Alabi, informed the court that the initially scheduled PW2, Hakeem Lasisi, was unavoidably absent on an official assignment outside the country. The court granted her request to proceed with Abubakar’s testimony.
The EFCC operative, attached to the Land and Property Section of the Ibadan Zonal Command, Oyo State, said he had worked with the Commission for 16 to 17 years investigating cases, conducting surveillance and carrying out undercover operations.
He said he became involved in the case in 2024 after the Abuja Zonal Director directed him to investigate intelligence alleging that the defendants were attempting to defraud Koko.
Abubakar said, “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 told the court that Koko explained that the second defendant had claimed to know the EFCC chairman’s purported personal assistant, who allegedly demanded $1,000,000.00 to stop an investigation involving the former NPA boss.
The witness said the ex-MD subsequently introduced him to the second defendant enabling him to contact the second defendant in August 2024 to discuss resolving the case.
According to him, the second defendant later invited him to a meeting at Crystal Palace Hotel, Off Gimbiya Street, Area 11, Abuja, where he said they needed to meet the first defendant, whom he identified as the purported aide to the EFCC chairman.
The PW2 said they subsequently met at the legislative quarters in Apo, Abuja, where the first defendant arrived in two vehicles and joined them for discussions.
He said the first defendant asked whether the second defendant had informed him of the amount required to close the case.
Abubakar told the court, “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 he offered to bring $300,000.00 which the first defendant rejected, before increasing it to $500,000.00 which was also turned down. He said the second defendant subsequently pleaded with the first defendant to accept $700,000.00 to close the investigation, and the three of them agreed on the amount.
He told the court, “I pleaded with the first defendant, explaining that we could not raise such an amount. I told him that we could raise $300,000.00, but he rejected the offer and said I was not serious. I then increased the amount to $500,000.00. The second defendant told me not to worry, saying he would speak with the first defendant. The second defendant subsequently pleaded with the first defendant to accept $700,000.00 to close the investigation. I told both defendants that I would speak with my brother, Mr Koko, to provide the sum of $700,000.00.”
The PW2 said he reported the development to his Zonal Director, who constituted an investigative team comprising him, Lasisi, Abdulhamid Wodi and Olalekan Ogunjobi to plan the operation.
He 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, the first defendant directed him to meet him at an A.A. Rano filling station along Lugbe Road, Abuja.
The witness said the first defendant arrived in a Hilux vehicle and another jeep, with three armed mobile police officers inside the Hilux. The second defendant also arrived in his vehicle, while EFCC operatives, including Lasisi and Wodi, were present.
He said the team could not make an arrest because the first defendant had armed police officers with him, while the EFCC operatives were unarmed.
Abubakar said he later contacted his office, which mobilised armed personnel for the operation. He subsequently informed the second defendant that the money was ready and was directed to meet him at Crystal Palace in Area 11.
According to the witness, after the first defendant failed to answer his call, he sent him a text message confirming that the money was ready. The first defendant later called back and directed him to meet the second defendant.
He said he drove to Gimbiya Street, where he showed the second defendant the bag containing the money, prompting his team members to move in and arrest him.
The witness said the second defendant initially denied knowing the first defendant’s residence but eventually led the operatives there after the first defendant requested a video call to confirm that the money was ready.
The PW2 said the first defendant’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 subsequently taken to the EFCC headquarters.
The court adjourned the matter till October 22, 2026, for continuation of trial.
