Trial of man who accused EFCC Chairman of stealing N4bn adjourned

By Taiye Agbaje

The trial of a man identified as Moses Oddiri for who allegedly accusing the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, of stealing N4 billion through his Facebook page was on Friday adjourned until March 25 for hearing.

Justice Abdulmalik of Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned the case following an application by Oddiri’s new lawyer, Godwin Ogboji, SAN, seeking an adjournment to enable him to study the case file.

Ogboji had told the court upon resumed trial that he had just been briefed to take up the case and was yet to meet with his client (defendant) and to study the case file.

The lawyer prayed the court for permission to see the defendant in the DSS custody.

Justice Abdulmalik, however, told Ogboji to do the needful by writing to the security agency in respect of the visit.

E. G. Orubor, who appeared for the prosecution, did not oppose the application for adjournment and the judge adjourned the matter until March 25 for continuation of trial.

The judge also directed the secret police where the defendant is kept to allow his lawyer access to him.

The Department of State Services (DSS)’ witness, Yusuf Adams, testified in the last adjourned date against Oddiri.

Adams, the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1), told Justice Abdulmalik how he explored Oddiri’s phone and Facebook page during investigation to discover videos in which the defendant accused Olukoyede.of intercepting and stealing the ₦4 billion released by Heritage Operational Services Limited in favour of the Orogun Community in Delta.

The witness spoke while he was being led in evidence-in-chief by the prosecuting lawyer, Orubor.

The PW-1 added that the team requested receipts, bank statements from First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and Zenith Bank.

The team, he said, also requested for incorporation documents from the Corporate Affairs Commission relating to community development entities operating OML 30 in Delta, including the Orogun Kingdom Community Trust registered by the defendant.

“We also obtained copies of letters of admonishment from the EFCC to a petition submitted by the defendant to the commission.

“The petition written by the defendant accused the EFCC chairman and was addressed to the Serious Fraud Office in the United Kingdom, and a letter written by Wahab Shittu, SAN, counsel to the EFCC chairman, requesting the defendant to retract the allegation.

“We thereafter submitted a preliminary report to our superior,” Adams had said.

Oddiri was arraigned on a two- count charge bordering on cybercrimes and punishable under Section 24(1) of the Cybercrimes ( Prohibition, Prevention, etc) ( Amendment) Act 2024

In count one, Oddiri of Orogun, Ughelli North Local Government Area in Delta, was alleged to have, sometime on or about Sept. 17, 2025, at Surulere, Lagos State, did use his Facebook handle page, Moses Oddiri, to send out a message.

It said the message was titled: “THIS THIEVING EFCC CHAIRMAN OLUKOYEDE, OF OVER 4 BILLION NAIRA OROGUN OIL COMMUNITY FUNDS PAID BY HERITAGE OIL IS ALSO BEING REPORTED TO HERITAGE OWNERS ACROSS THE GLOBE…”

The EFCC said the message, which was false, was posted for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, insult and injury on the person of Olukoyede.

The anti-graft agency said the offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) (Amendment) Act 2024.”(NAN)