EFCC arrests two for duping bankers of $2.2m

EFCC officials on duty
| credits: File copy

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested two suspected fraudsters for allegedly duping two bankers of the sum of $2,250,000.

The EFCC said the suspects ─ Uwem Antia and Alhaji Yerima Suleman ─ allegedly approached the bankers; Gladys Aginwa and Ale Dennis; in February, 2015, offering to sell foreign exchange to the tune of $10m to them.

It was gathered that after agreeing on the exchange rate, a sum of N672, 750,000 was transferred to one of the bankers’ account, from where it was moved into Antia’s account, Kafisto Oil and Gas Limited.

The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren said, “Findings showed that the entire sum of N672, 750,000 actually hit Antia’s account. A bureau de change operator, who changed the money into its dollar equivalent, told EFCC’s investigators that he went with Antia to his bank along Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, where the transaction was confirmed.

“The bureau de change operator further said that Antia subsequently transferred the sum of N666, 250,000 into his own account.

“He said he worked out the dollar equivalent of the money, which was $3,127,000. He said he could only give $3,124,000 to Antia, leaving a balance of $3,000, which he promised to give him the next day.”

It was gathered that immediately Antia collected the foreign exchange, he reportedly headed for a house on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, where the two bankers and his accomplice, Suleman, were waiting for him.

“However, rather than handing over the entire foreign exchange to the bankers, he only gave them $1,000,000, claiming that he could not source the entire amount.

“He promised to give them a balance of $2,250,000 the next day. This balance would be the dollar equivalent of the entire sum of the transaction of N672, 750,000.

“The bankers said since the day Antia and Suleman gave them the initial $1,000,000, all efforts to reach them had proved abortive,” Uwujared added.

It was learnt that the banker later lodged a complaint with the EFCC and operatives of the commission eventually arrested the two suspected fraudsters.

The duo were said to have claimed that that they had given one of the bankers, Dennis, the balance of the money at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Uwujaren, however, said investigations by the EFCC showed that no such transaction took place between them.

He said, “One of the suspects, Suleman, is being tried at a Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State for a separate offence.

“The suspects will be arraigned in another court soon.”