Alleged N266.5m Fraud: EFCC Arraigns Fake Army General Who Claimed President Buhari Nominated Him As COAS

Bolarinwa Abiodun

A fake army general, Bolarinwa Abiodun, has been arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC, on Monday, April 11, before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on a 13-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, forgery of documents and possession of documents containing false pretence to the tune of N266, 500,000.

The offences are contrary to Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act 2006; Section 363 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 and Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act No 14 of 2006, respectively.

Abiodun was arrested at his house in the Alagbado area of Lagos State on Wednesday, January 12, 2022.

The defendant, who posed as a General in the Nigerian Army allegedly, made false representations to the complainant, Kodef Clearing Resources, that the President , Muhammadu Buhari, had short-listed him and one other to be appointed as the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, and that he needed a short grant to “press and process the appointment.”

Abiodun also allegedly forged a letter of appointment as COAS purportedly signed by the President and showed the same to the victim to further prove his claim.

In the said letter, he claimed that he needed to pay a certain amount of money into the coffers of the Federal Government of Nigeria, as part of the requirements for the appointment as COAS.

Abiodun is also alleged to have, in May 2020, forged a Nigeria Army Identity Card with serial number 387140, claiming the same to have been issued to him from the Nigerian Army, and another forged Letter of Recommendation purportedly signed by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo recommending one Adebayo Rasaq Adebola, with recruitment No 77RRI/OG/556/0032555 and Adeogun Emmanuel Adesola with recruitment No 77RRI/OG/352/0123751 for employment into the Nigeria Army.

He is also accused of being in possession of a forged Certificate of Confirmation dated November 7, 2018, purporting the same to have emanated from the Nigerian Army Headquarters.

He is also accused of being in possession of a forged document titled: Letter of Authorization, purportedly signed by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo permitting one Bamidele Olusegun Safiriyu of De-Rock Maritime Resource L.T.D. to enter Apapa Port freely and load their truck.

Upon his arrest, six pump action guns, three cartridge bullets, a swagger stick and several forged documents were recovered from him.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following his plea, the prosecuting counsel, A.O. Muhammed, prayed the Court for a trial date and for the remand of the defendant at the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

The defence counsel, Kayode Lawal, informed the Court of a summons for bail filed on behalf of the defendant.

The prosecution acknowledged receipt on April 8, 2022, noting that “we are still within time to respond and we intend to respond”.

Acknowledging the position of the prosecution, Lawal prayed the court for “the shortest date to move our bail application.”

Thereafter, Justice Taiwo adjourned till Thursday, April 14, 2022 and ordered that the defendant be remanded at Ikoyi Correctional facility, Lagos.