EFCC arraigns native doctor, wife for alleged N1b fraud

The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a self-styled native doctor, Olorunbukunmi Taiwo, and his wife, Awolegan Omolola Omotola, for an alleged contract scam to the tune of N1,098,961,500.

The couple were arraigned before Justice Abubakar Usman of the Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

They were arranged on a six-count charge bordering of obtaining money by false pretence and retention of proceeds of crime contrary to Section 17(a) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.

Taiwo and Omotola were arrested when a widow, Anazia Colina Kenechukwu, a proprietor of a private school in Delta State, petitioned the EFCC alleging that the first defendant, Taiwo, approached her to finance a road construction contract purportedly awarded to him by the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC).

Kenechukwu further alleged that a total sum of N1,980,000,000.00 was paid into Taiwo’s account domiciled with Access Bank Plc.

Investigation further revealed that the couple invested the proceeds of the illicit activities in the acquisition of two properties in Ado-Ekiti, namely: Town Tavern Lounge, located at 1, Ikere Road, off Florence Court School, Ado-Ekiti, and a four-bedroom bungalow located at Florence Court, Irewolede Estate, Ado-Ekiti.

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The Commission had on May 25, 2026 secured the interim attachment of the two properties.

Count 2 of the charge reads: “That you, Olorunbukunmi Taiwo and Awolegan Omolola Omotola, sometime between January 2024 and November 2025, in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N1,098,961,500.00 (One Billion, Ninety-Eight Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty-One Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) from one Anazia Colina Kenechukwu, which was paid to you through Olorunbukunmi Taiwo’s account number 0027303340 domiciled with Access Bank Plc, by falsely representing that same would be used to execute a road construction contract awarded to you by the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC), a pretence you knew to be false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

The defendants pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them.

Following their pleas, counsel to the EFCC, Sesan Ola, prayed the court to fix a date for trial and order the remand of the defendants.

Justice Usman adjourned the matter until June 11, 2026 for hearing of their bail application and commencement of trial.

The judge also ordered the remand of the defendants in the EFCC holding facility.

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