Recall that Yahaya Bello, a former governor of Kogi State, who was declared wanted by the EFCC on April 18 for evading arrest in an N80 billion fraud investigation, is one of the most prominent persons on the list, but he only joined a community of over 160 financial crimes suspects in Nigeria. Big names such as Bello often wait out attention on their financial crime cases.
This 166 people-strong list includes Siminilayi Fubara, the Governor of Rivers State; past governors; ex-bankers; Chinese, Italian and Israeli nationals; and federal government partner Tompolo.
NewsOnline Nigeria makes a full list and highlights why some of these wanted persons remain free.
Mariani Albino, an Italian man, was 53 years old when the EFCC declared him wanted in December 2013. Albino allegedly obtained money by false pretence, stole and laundered funds to the tune of N989,288,400.
Sylvester Osondu Okereke was a 38-year-old Abia State citizen when the EFCC declared him wanted in January 2014.
Badmus Luqman Adedeji, a Kwara State indigene, was 45 years old when he was added to the wanted list.
The EFCC declared Emeka Charles Ekekwe wanted in February 2014. An ex-Fidelity Bank employee, Ekekwe was accused of obtaining N146 million under false pretence.
Olabode Jacob Obayomi was declared wanted in February 2014 when the EFCC linked him with a case of criminal conspiracy, diversion of public funds and breach of trust. Obayomi had allegedly made the unauthorised sale of over N251 million worth of stock belonging to the Ebonyi State Government.
The EFCC declared Oluwaseun Ogunbambo wanted in February 2014, when he failed to show up in court for a N1 billion subsidy fraud the commission was prosecuting him for. Mobolaji Akintunde, Ogunbambo’s lawyer, told the court that his client fell while bathing, sustained spinal cord injuries and was recovering at the Nigerian Army Military Hospital in Yaba. In April 2014, the EFCC told a Lagos High Court in Ikeja that Ogunbambo had fled to Canada.
Kothari, an Indian national, was 60 years old when the EFCC declared him wanted in March 2014.
Sunit Sharma was a 41-year-old Indian man the EFCC declared wanted alongside Kothari and two others.
Kumar Sharma was 46 years old when the EFCC declared him wanted.
The EFCC declared 61-year-old Subramanian wanted in March 2014 alongside Kumar, Sunit and Kothari. According to the EFCC, all four Indians were released on administrative bail but failed to present themselves for trial. They were believed to have fled Nigeria.
Alhaji Mutairu Orilowo was the 47-year-old husband of actress Laide Bakare when the EFCC declared him wanted in connection with a case of criminal conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretences and stealing in 2014. Orilowo took the EFCC to court claiming the commission was prosecuting him unjustly, but that court ordered the forfeiture of all properties linked to Orilowo in May 2014.
Bawa Thomas Momodu, a 38-year-old ex-banker, was declared wanted in 2014. Momodu was linked to forgery and theft, but no news of him surfaced afterwards.
The EFCC declared Desmond Osawaru wanted in April 2014. In 2016, he was still wanted. Reports show that Osawaru was wanted for obtaining $200,000 from a client under false pretence. His unsuspecting victim fell for a phoney boat transaction. He remains a fugitive in his late sixties.
John Samson Akpan of Akwa Ibom allegedly defrauded one Alhaji Umaru Garkuwa, a bureau de change operator, of N3,290,000.
Monday Idaresit Ekpo of Akwa Ibom allegedly defrauded one Alhaji Umaru Garkuwa, a bureau de change operator, of N3,290,000. There’s been no report of Akpan and Ekpo’s arrests.
Godswill Oyegwa Oyoyou was 38 years old when the EFCC declared him wanted for allegedly collaborating with some scammers to hack into his bank’s database and illegally gain control of N6.28 billion in 2014. He worked in the information technology department of a bank. Oyoyou is still on the run.
Hope Rexlawson, as the National Coordinator of Rebuild Nigeria Initiative NGO, allegedly issued several fake EcoBank and Zenith Bank cheques to Goshen Motors Limited as payment for 46 Vehicles. The cheques totalled N73,600,000. The EFCC declared him wanted in 2014, but there was no resolution or arraignment in the news.
The EFCC declared Addatu Shitu Adamu wanted after an alleged fraudulent N13 million sale of land to Martin Ezendu.
Liu Zuzhi was declared wanted in December 2014 for allegedly defrauding Sanju Sunny Nigeria Limited and China Railway Engineering No 3 Nigeria Limited. Zuzhi was said to have colluded with a few others to fraudulently obtain millions from these companies before fleeing.
Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, a former Jigawa State governor, was declared wanted in January 2015 after refusing to appear in court in 2014. The EFCC said that there was a subsisting warrant for Turaki’s arrest. Turaki had been arrested and arraigned before Federal High Court, Abuja, in 2007 over alleged N8.3 billion corruption and embezzlemennt of public funds. Justice Hassan Dikko of the Federal High Court sitting in Jigawa eventually cleared Turaki and three other companies of all the 33 count charges bordering on alleged N8.3 billion fraud in 2022.
Alhaji Iliasu Olanrewaju Abdul-Rauf allegedly collected N1.7 billion under the guise of awarding contracts for the establishment of rehabilitation centres in different states. The EFCC declared him wanted in May 2015.
The EFCC declared Daniel Erijo Oyowe, a Federal House of Representatives aspirant for Isoko federal constituency, wanted in 2015. A client had accused Oyowe of disappearing after taking millions of naira from the client’s investment.
The EFCC declared Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina, a former chairperson of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), wanted in November 2015. Maina was allegedly complicit in the over N2 billion Pensions Biometric Scam in the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation. The Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Maina to eight years in prison in 2021 for his involvement. The EFCC had, however, not removed Maina from its list of wanted people at press time.
Jerry Ogbonna Obike Phillip, from Ovim in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State, was declared a wanted man in January 2016. He had allegedly withdrawn N45,000,000.00 (Forty Five million naira), which was mistakenly credited into his account in a new generation bank by the Central Bank of Nigeria. There has been no report of his arrest ever since.
Government Ekpumupolo (AKA Tompolo), the well-known militant leader from Okerenkoko, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West LGA of Delta State, was declared wanted in February 2016. The EFCC said that two consecutive bench warrants had been issued for Tompolo’s arrest by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos. He refused to show up when invited. Tompolo is currently a security partner of the federal government in the Niger Delta region.
The EFCC declared Adamu Abibu Adamu, a bureau de change operator, wanted in February 2017. Adamu allegedly received N18 million from the complainants but did not give them the dollar equivalent they requested. He is from Yobe State.
Shogbesan Ajoke Bolanle allegedly connived with eight others to fraudulently transfer millions of naira from a customer’s bank account.
Dekunle Abiodun Runsewe allegedly connived with eight others to fraudulently transfer millions of naira from a customer’s bank account.
Victoria Ishaya allegedly connived with eight others to fraudulently transfer millions of naira from a customer’s bank account.
Godwin Etim is a fugitive who was convicted of a two-count charge of illegal dealing in 115 drums of 200 litres capacity AGO by a Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, in October 2016.
Idris Kwado Usman, an alleged accomplice in the misappropriation of over N1 billion SURE-P funds in Katsina State, was declared wanted in February 2017.
The EFCC declared Olufunmilade Adeyemi wanted in 2017. Adeyemi was said to have posed as an Alexander Moses, a professor and defrauded many until he was arrested in Ghana and brought back to Nigeria. Adeyemi was granted bail. He allegedly swindled unsuspecting victims of at least N34 million under the guise of selling property.
The EFCC declared Ngozi Julie Olejeme wanted after she refused to honour repeated invitations from the commission in September 2017.
Omosalewa Ayinla, a former staff of Skye Bank Plc., allegedly forged treasury bills certificate worth N27 million and handed them over to a customer in exchange for the money. The EFCC declared her wanted in April 2018.
Siminilayi Fubara, the current Governor of Rivers State, was declared a wanted man in September 2018. The EFCC accused Fubara, then a signatory to the state government, and others of acting as proxies to several government officials who conspired and fraudulently withdrew and diverted N117 billion from the Rivers State treasury between 2015 and 2018. Fubara ran for public office despite his presence on the EFCC’s wanted list.
The EFCC is prosecuting Bello alongside his nephew Ali Bello and two others on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N80.2 billion. Bello was added to the wanted list after he refused to honour EFCC’s invitations. The former Kogi State Governor remains at large while his fraud case is heard in the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
