The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has tendered documentary and physical evidence in the ongoing trial of two men accused of impersonating the commission chairman’s personal assistant and obtaining $700,000 from a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Muhammad Koko.
Key Highlights
- EFCC tenders phones, a Prado Jeep, marked $100,000 and video evidence in the $700,000 fraud trial.
- Defendants Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim allegedly posed as EFCC officials to defraud ex-NPA MD Muhammad Koko.
- They allegedly demanded $1m to halt a fake probe before settling for $700,000.
- Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie admitted the items as exhibits PW2A to PW2F.
- Trial adjourned to October 26, 2026.
The evidence was presented on Thursday, October 22, 2026, before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, during the trial of Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim.
The defendants are facing an amended four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence.
According to the EFCC, Joshua allegedly impersonated Ola Olukoyede’s personal assistant, while he and Hashim allegedly posed as the commission’s operatives and approached Koko, claiming that his tenure as NPA managing director was under investigation.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants told Koko that the EFCC chairman and its director of operations demanded $1m to halt the purported investigation, but eventually agreed to receive $700,000.
How The Suspects Were Arrested
The second prosecution witness, Tanko Abubakar, an EFCC operative attached to the Land and Property Section of its Ibadan Zonal Command, identified items recovered during the investigation.
Abubakar had earlier told the court that he was part of the team that investigated intelligence suggesting that the defendants were attempting to defraud Koko.
He explained that the team tracked and arrested the defendants, with Hashim apprehended at Crystal Palace Hotel in Area 11, Abuja, while Joshua was later arrested at his residence.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Elizabeth Alabi, the witness identified a brown bag containing marked $100,000, three mobile phones and a white flash drive containing video recordings made during the investigation.
Abubakar told the court that the team recorded Hashim during a video call with Joshua to confirm receipt of the purported money.
“My team and I video-recorded the second defendant when he was making the video call with the first defendant, telling the first defendant that he had collected the money,” he said.
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Court Admits Phones, Cash, Prado Jeep As Exhibits
The witness identified the marked $100,000 as money taken from an exhibit. He also identified the flash drive containing recordings of the defendants, including videos made while they gave their statements at the EFCC headquarters.
The phones presented included a Samsung Galaxy Flip and a Samsung Galaxy Note, allegedly seized from Hashim, and an iPhone 11 Pro Max, allegedly recovered from Joshua.
Abubakar also identified a black 2016 Toyota Prado Jeep with registration number GWA 666 EA, Abuja, which he said was seized from Hashim and kept at the commission’s exhibit car dock before being brought to court.
The prosecution sought to tender the recovered items as exhibits.
While counsel to the first defendant, O. Nwosu, did not oppose their admissibility, counsel to the second defendant, M. B. Inuwa, raised objections.
After hearing submissions from the lawyers, Justice Onwuegbuzie admitted the Prado Jeep, Samsung Galaxy Flip, Samsung Galaxy Note, iPhone 11 Pro Max, marked $100,000, brown bag and white flash drive as exhibits PW2A to PW2F, respectively.
The judge adjourned the case until October 26, 2026, for continuation of trial.
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