The second prosecution witness (PW2) in the trial of Ojoba Joshua and Aliyu Haskim, who are being prosecuted for allegedly impersonating the Personal Assistant (PA) to the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, on Thursday, November 5, 2026, told Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, Abuja, that the first defendant, Joshua, told him he was the EFCC Chairman’s PA in the presence of the second defendant.

The EFCC is prosecuting Joshua and Haskim on an amended four-count charge bordering on impersonation, conspiracy and obtaining $700,000 (Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) by false pretence.

Joshua, the first defendant, allegedly paraded himself as Olukoyede’s Personal Assistant and conspired with Haskim, the second defendant, to obtain $700,000 from a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Muhammed Bello Koko.

Both defendants allegedly posed as EFCC operatives and approached Koko, claiming that his tenure as NPA Managing Director was under investigation by the Commission. They further claimed that the EFCC Chairman and the Director of Operations had demanded $1 million to halt the investigation. They eventually agreed to collect $700,000 from Koko.

At Thursday’s proceedings, the witness, Tanko Abubakar, an EFCC investigating officer, made the disclosure while being cross-examined by counsel to the first defendant, Obinna Nwosu.

Abubakar told the court that he encountered Joshua during his investigation and that the first defendant introduced himself as the PA to the EFCC Chairman.

When asked to provide evidence to support his claim, the witness said video clips showed the second defendant stating in his statement that Joshua had introduced himself as the EFCC Chairman’s PA.

“My Lord, there are video clips to show when the second defendant said in his statement that he is the PA to the EFCC Chairman. He said this when we were driving in the car,” he said.

The witness was further asked to identify the specific portions of the video evidence in which the alleged disclosure was recorded.

In response, the judge observed that playing the entire video clips would consume valuable court time. He consequently directed the prosecution to review the recordings, identify the relevant portions and present them at the next adjourned date.

Counsel to the prosecution, Elizabeth Alabi, also drew the court’s attention to an affidavit seeking leave to call her next witness virtually, explaining that the witness would be unable to appear physically because he was outside the country.

Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the application and adjourned the matter to November 9, 16, 19, 23 and 30, 2026, for continuation of trial.

The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, November 2, 2026, arraigned Adeseun Adeniyi Olukunle before Justice A. O. Okunuga of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, over an alleged ₦238.35 million fraud.

Olukunle was arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences, stealing and retention of stolen property.

The alleged offences are contrary to Sections 280 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, and Section 328 of the same law.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Adeseun Adeniyi Olukunle, Chanaiyah International Limited and Omotosho Abraham Aremu (at large), sometime in 2025 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction, converted the sum of ₦11,000,000.00 (Eleven Million Naira) to the use of Faniran Olusoji John, property of Temitope Bolarinde Samuel, aka Boteam Nigeria Limited.”

Another count reads: “That you, Adeseun Adeniyi Olukunle, Chanaiyah International Limited and Omotosho Abraham Aremu (at large), sometime in 2025, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction, converted the sum of ₦19,000,000.00 (Nineteen Million Naira) to the use of Omotayo Faniran, property of Temitope Bolarinde Samuel, aka Boteam Nigeria Limited.”

He pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.

Following his plea, prosecuting counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, urged the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendant in a correctional centre pending trial.

She informed the court that the second defendant, Chanaiyah International Limited, was controlled by Omotosho Abraham Aremu, who is currently at large. She consequently urged the court to enter a plea of not guilty on behalf of the company, a request that was granted.

However, defence counsel, Yusuf T. Nurudeen, informed the court that he had filed a bail application on behalf of his client and urged the court to grant the defendant bail on liberal terms.

In his ruling, Justice Okunuga granted Olukunle bail in the sum of ₦300 million, with two sureties in like sum.

The judge directed that one of the sureties must own landed property within the court’s jurisdiction, subject to verification by the court registrar. The sureties were also required to provide evidence of tax payment.

The case was adjourned until January 18, 19 and 20, 2027, for the commencement of trial.

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede, has vowed to intensify the crackdown on illegal mining by targeting financiers, mineral buyers, compromised public officials and other collaborators who profit from the illicit exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral resources.

Olukoyede made this known in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, while delivering a keynote address at a joint conference on illegal mining, corruption and climate implications, organised by the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin, in partnership with the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA). The EFCC chairman was also conferred with a Fellowship Award by the institute.

Speaking on the theme, “Uprooting the Roots of Resource Theft: A Zero-Tolerance Approach to Mining Corruption and Increasing Insecurity in Nigeria,” the anti-corruption czar observed that despite Nigeria’s abundant mineral resources, including gold, lithium, tin, lead and zinc, the country had yet to maximise their economic benefits due to corruption, illegal exploitation and insecurity.

He stressed that mineral wealth could only become a national blessing if properly managed and protected from criminal exploitation.

He explained that illegal mining was not merely the work of individuals operating mining pits but involved sophisticated networks of local and international financiers, buyers, compromised officials, transporters and beneficiaries of illicit proceeds.

He therefore advocated an enforcement strategy that goes beyond arresting miners to identifying and dismantling the financial networks behind the criminal enterprise.

“A serious enforcement strategy must move from the pit to the purse,” he declared, adding that the EFCC would continue to follow the money, investigate financiers and facilitators, trace illicit proceeds and prosecute offenders based on evidence.

Giving an account of the Commission’s efforts, Olukoyede disclosed that between October 2023 and July 2026, the EFCC recorded 52 illegal mining cases within its specialised enforcement portfolio, resulting in investigations, prosecutions and convictions.

He also revealed that the Commission had secured the forfeiture of 102 tonnes of solid minerals.

He emphasised that illegal mining was not just an economic crime but could fuel extortion, smuggling, violence and other forms of criminality, thereby worsening insecurity in affected communities.

The EFCC chairman further called for stronger collaboration among mining regulators, law enforcement agencies, financial intelligence institutions, customs authorities, revenue agencies and host communities.

He maintained that effective information-sharing, joint intelligence and coordinated operations were essential to identifying the financiers and ultimate beneficiaries of illegal mining.

He also urged organised labour, traditional institutions, civil society organisations and the media to support efforts to promote transparency, decent work and accountability in the extractive sector.

Earlier, the Director-General of MINILS and chief host, Comrade Issa Aremu, commended the EFCC under Olukoyede’s leadership for its efforts to curb illegal activities and promote accountability in the country.

He also underscored the importance of the conference in advancing labour education and addressing contemporary challenges confronting workers and the environment.

In his remarks, the Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, described illegal mining, corruption and environmental degradation as interconnected challenges requiring collective action.

He stressed that organised labour must play a central role in Nigeria’s transition to clean energy to ensure that workers are not left behind.

He explained that the three-day engagement was designed to equip labour leaders with advocacy, skills development and collective bargaining tools while promoting a joint action plan for monitoring suspicious mining activities and a Green Accountability Campaign.

The highlight of the event was the conferment of a Fellowship Award on the EFCC chairman by MINILS in recognition of his contributions to the fight against corruption and related economic crimes.