EFCC charges couple for N1.09 billion contract fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a self-proclaimed native doctor, Olorunbukunmi Taiwo, and his wife, Awolegan Omolola Omotola, before the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti over an alleged N1.09 billion contract scam.

The pair were arraigned by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC before Justice Abubakar Usman on a six-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and retaining proceeds of crime.

According to the anti-corruption agency, the defendants allegedly defrauded a widow and owner of a private school in Delta State, Anazia Colina Kenechukwu, by claiming to have secured a road construction contract from the Delta State Petroleum Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).

The EFCC said the complainant was persuaded to finance the alleged contract and subsequently transferred large sums of money into Taiwo’s bank account.

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Investigations revealed that the alleged fraud involved N1,098,961,500, while the petitioner claimed to have paid a total of N1.98 billion into the account of the accused.

The commission further said the proceeds of the scam were used to acquire two properties in Ado-Ekiti, including the Town Tavern Lounge located along Ikere Road and a four-bedroom bungalow in Irewolede Estate.

The EFCC had earlier obtained a provisional confiscation order on the properties.

One of the indictments accused the defendants of obtaining $1.09 billion from the complainant between January 2024 and November 2025 under the false representation that the funds would be used to execute the DESOPADEC road project.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges when they were read out in court.

Following their request, the EFCC lawyer, Sesan Ola, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants pending the decision on their bail application.

Justice Usman adjourned the case to June 11, 2026, for hearing on the bail application and commencement of trial, while ordering that the accused be held in custody by the EFCC.

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