Lagos: EFCC drags 2 in court over 49 million € bank scam

The Commission for Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC), the Zonal Directorate of Lagos 1, on Monday, dragged Abel Egerton Sokari, Nkiruka Chukwuma and Zakah Global Investment Limited before the Mojisola Dada judge of the Court for special crimes sitting at Ikeja, Lagos, as well as € 49 million in Fraumo.

The defendants are facing an accusation of six counts on the border with conspiracy to obtain money with false claim, possession of fraudulent documents and falsification. The alleged crimes involve a fraudulent attempt to obtain € 49,000,000 from the First Bank of Nigeria.

One of the Charges Reads: “That you, Abel Egerton Sokari, Nkiruka Chukwuma, Zakah Global Investment Limited, Cheryl Austin ad (Now at Large), Husain Abid (At Large), Shazad Muhammed (At Large), and Ismail Adil (At Large), on or About May 19, 2025, in Lagos, in Lagos, in Lagos, Within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to Defraud, attempted to obtain the sum of € 49,000,000 from the First Bank of Nigeria, falsely supporting that Bayan Investment Bank and Hedge Fund Statutory Trust had transferred this amount in the account number 2046430791 belonging to Zakah Global Investment Limited.

Another count accuses Sokari and Chukwuma of being in possession of a false letter presumably by the United States Legal Office of Steven H. Sado, PC, who falsely connects it to the legal team of the former President of the United States Donald Trump.

Both defendants declared themselves not guilty of all accusations.