The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has handed over a bank draft of N42 million to Ebesunun Edonojie, being the sum recovered by operatives of the commission from fraudsters that defrauded him.
Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, said in a statement issued on Wednesday that Sa’ad Hanafi Sa’ad, the acting zonal commander of the anti-graft agency in Benin, presented the bank draft to Edonojie.
Oyewale said Edonojie, a businessman dealing in cement had in 2022 petitioned the commission that one Ogiemwonyi Godwin defrauded him of N175,392, 000.
According to the EFCC spokesperson, the petitioner stated that he transferred N350,784, 000 to Godwin for the supply of 116 trucks of cement but that he was supplied with 58 trucks leaving a balance of 58 trucks which amounted to N175,392,000.
“During investigation, operatives discovered that Godwin transferred N280 million to Dangote Cement Company but diverted the balance of N70 million for his personal use and supplied 58 trucks leaving a balance of 58 trucks of cement,” the statement reads.
“The suspect became inaccessible and unreachable but through the consistent effort of operatives of the Commission, the Commission recovered N116,000,000 which was previously handed over to Edonojie before recovery of additional N42,000, 000.”
Oyewale said Edonojie expressed deep gratitude to Ola Olukoyede, the EFCC chairman, the acting zonal commander of the commission, and the entire staff of the commission at the directorate for the “wonderful work”.
Edonojie said he lost hope completely about ever recovering the money as the suspect became inaccessible.
“I lost hope completely. I did not even believe that I could recover the money as the man (suspect) was nowhere to be found,” Oyewale quoted Edonojie as saying.
“I am more than grateful to the EFCC, the Chairman, the Zonal Director and the entire EFCC, for the good work they are doing. It is only God that can reward you all.
“EFCC has become my saving grace, and I am going to tell everybody how the EFCC saved me. I could not sleep because I borrowed the money. EFCC has wiped away my tears.”
The acting zonal director assured that the commission would continue to discharge its duties professionally to ensure justice for all. “
We will continue to discharge our duties professionally and responsibly by ensuring that fraudulent people do not get away with their crime and that innocent people do not suffer unjustly,” he said.
