Court Convicts Two Ex-Bank Staff Over ₦7.8m Financial Fraud

The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of two former bank officials over separate financial fraud cases involving about ₦7.8 million.

The convicts, Obadofin Daniel Bamise and Hadiza Oyiza Yakubu, were sentenced to seven years imprisonment each by Justice A.A. Bello of the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kaduna after they were found guilty on separate one-count charges bordering on fraud.

The EFCC disclosed this in a statement, noting that the convictions followed investigations and prosecution efforts by its Kaduna Zonal Directorate, which uncovered acts of banking fraud involving the handling and diversion of funds.

According to the anti-graft agency, the offences committed by the former bank employees involved fraudulent activities linked to their official duties in the financial institution, leading to losses estimated at about ₦7.8 million.

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Although full details of the transactions were not publicly disclosed, the EFCC said the court was satisfied that the prosecution had established a strong case beyond reasonable doubt against the defendants.

The court subsequently convicted both defendants on separate counts and handed down seven-year prison sentences each.

Delivering judgment, Justice A.A. Bello held that the prosecution had successfully proven its case, leading to the conviction under applicable laws on financial crimes and fraud in Nigeria.

The ruling reinforces judicial support for the EFCC’s ongoing anti-corruption drive, particularly in cases involving abuse of office, breach of trust, and financial misconduct within banks.

The EFCC stated that the conviction is part of its wider efforts to tackle financial crimes in the banking sector, especially insider fraud involving diversion of customer funds and manipulation of internal banking systems.

The commission reiterated its commitment to ensuring accountability in financial institutions, warning that individuals involved in fraudulent activities will continue to face prosecution and stiff penalties.

The Kaduna conviction adds to a growing list of successful prosecutions secured by the EFCC across its zonal commands as part of its nationwide anti-corruption enforcement campaign.

Court Convicts Two Ex-Bank Staff Over ₦7.8m Financial Fraud

VIDEO: Fact-checkers knock down claim Soyinka rode okada over N1,500 fuel

• Nobel Laureate used commercial motorcycle to beat traffic after Abeokuta festival

Viral claims that Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka rode a commercial motorcycle (okada) home from an event in Abeokuta because he could no longer afford to fuel his cars at N1,500 per litre have been dismissed as misleading by fact-checkers.

A video showing the 89-year-old literary icon leaving the Ake Palace area on a motorcycle, surrounded by commercial riders and guided by a TRACE official, circulated widely on social media in late April 2026.

The footage sparked outrage and sympathy, with many Nigerians expressing shock that a figure of Soyinka’s stature would be forced to use public transport due to economic hardship.

However, a fact-check investigation by the Nigerian Democratic Report found no credible evidence to support the fuel price claim. The video contains no audio or visual evidence of Soyinka himself stating that he used the okada because of petrol costs.

Sources close to the Nobel Laureate told our correspondent that Soyinka had attended the grand finale of the 39th annual Lisabi Festival at the Ake Palace, an event that drew heavy crowds and significant traffic congestion.

The festival, themed “Egbaliganza 2026,” took place from March 23 to March 28 and attracted prominent Egba sons and daughters, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Ogun State governor Ibikunle Amosun.

According to the sources, Soyinka used the commercial motorcycle to navigate through the congested area for a short distance to where his driver and vehicle were stationed.

They described the okada ride as a practical solution to traffic gridlock rather than an indicator of financial distress.

“It is not uncommon for dignitaries at large events in Nigeria to use motorcycles to bypass traffic and reach their waiting vehicles,” one source familiar with the event’s logistics told our correspondent.

Further contradicting the viral narrative, Soyinka appeared publicly at a major event in Lagos just weeks after the okada video circulated.

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On May 20, 2026, he chaired the launch of “The NADECO Story,” a book written by Chief Ayo Opadokun, at an event attended by President Bola Tinubu and other high-profile Nigerians.

He delivered remarks and was photographed in formal attire, showing no signs of the financial struggles claimed online.

The claim about fuel prices, while false as it pertains to Soyinka’s motivation, reflects a genuine economic reality in Nigeria.

Following the removal of fuel subsidies in 2023, petrol prices have risen sharply. The National Bureau of Statistics reported an average retail price of N1,051.47 in February 2026, though prices in some regions and black markets have reportedly reached as high as N1,500 per litre.

An X user, @CrownprinceCom2, was among those who amplified the misleading claim, posting that Soyinka left the Ake Centre on an okada because he was struggling to buy fuel.

The post gained significant traction before fact-checkers intervened.

Attempts to reach Soyinka’s media aide for comment were unsuccessful as of press time.

Human rights activist and lawyer Inibehe Effiong, commenting on the incident, said the swift spread of the false claim demonstrated how economic frustrations were driving the rapid amplification of unverified narratives involving public figures.

“The public’s anger over fuel prices is legitimate, but we must be careful not to project that anger onto situations that do not warrant it,” Effiong said in a telephone interview.

“Professor Soyinka remains a national icon, and false claims about his personal circumstances do not serve the public interest.”

The Nigerian Democratic Report concluded its investigation with a verdict of “misleading,” noting that while it is confirmed that Soyinka was seen riding an okada in Abeokuta, there is no evidence that he did so because he could not afford fuel at N1,500 per litre.

“The viral claim appears to have been a case of misattributed motivation, with social media users projecting broader economic frustrations onto a single image of a public figure using alternative transportation in a congested event setting,” the report stated.

The Nigeria Police Force has not commented on the matter, and no official statement has been issued by Soyinka’s office as of press time.

Prof Soyinka took an okada home after an event in Abeokuta. According to reports, He said he can no longer fuel his two cars at N1,500 per litre. pic.twitter.com/9U8HT4MqAW

— Nigeria Stories (@NigeriaStories) May 21, 2026

VIDEO: Fact-checkers knock down claim Soyinka rode okada over N1,500 fuel

VIDEO: “I’ll Kill Anyone Who Films Me on duty”: Police Officer Issues Death Threat

A serving Nigerian police officer has ignited a firestorm of outrage after a viral video captured him threatening to kill any member of the public who dares to film him while on duty. The officer, identified as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Newton Isokpehi, later issued an apology, claiming his remarks were born of frustration rather than genuine intent to harm. The incident has thrown a harsh spotlight on the long-standing tension between police accountability and citizens’ rights to document law enforcement activities—rights that have been explicitly affirmed by a Federal High Court ruling as recent as March 2026.

The now-deleted video was posted on Isokpehi’s TikTok account, “Newton isokpehi for life” with the username #actor459. In the clip, which featured an ironic “God bless police” text overlay, the officer issued graphic death threats in Pidgin English. “Any day I’m on duty as a police officer, carrying my rifle and doing my job, let somebody come and video me,” Isokpehi declared. “That oga who gave you people the order to video us, he will go and do your burial. He will bury you. The number of you that I kill, he will be the one to bury all of you.” He further dared civilians to approach him with cameras, escalating his threats with terrifying specificity: “If anyone is bold enough, just bring your camera. Watch me properly, bring your camera and come anywhere I am. Come and video me. If you don’t do it right, I will clear everybody down, the whole bus, everybody around. I swear to God, if I don’t do it, let me die.”

In an extraordinary turn, Isokpehi did not limit his threats to civilians. He also directed chilling warnings at any superior police officer who may have authorized citizens to record police operations. “That oga, that police officer who gave the order for people to video policemen on duty, oya, I will deal with you all harshly. You will see serious wahala. You will see problem. Problem will destroy your generation,” he said. The remarks suggest a deep-seated frustration within certain ranks of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) regarding internal policies on public documentation of police activities.

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Throughout the video, Isokpehi displayed visible scars on his arm and chest, which he identified as bullet wounds sustained during active service. He used these injuries to underscore his grievances about poor welfare conditions for officers. “You think I was born like this? This is a gunshot wound,” he said, pointing to his arm. “My whole body is covered with bullet wounds and gunshot scars. Yet I’m still suffering.” He provided a harrowing account of a past operation: “Out of 17 of us, only two survived that operation. See my chest, bullet has eaten into it.” The officer famously lamented using the Nigerian proverb, “Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop,” expressing frustration that officers risk their lives while others reap the rewards of their sacrifice. Despite his outburst, Isokpehi acknowledged the efforts of the current Inspector General of Police to clear outstanding insurance and death benefit payments owed to families of deceased officers. “Since this IG assumed office, he has started releasing their insurance and benefits,” he conceded.

Isokpehi’s threats appear to directly contradict established Nigerian law and recent judicial pronouncements. In March 2026, a Federal High Court explicitly affirmed the constitutional right of Nigerians to record police officers carrying out their duties in public spaces, as long as such recording does not physically interfere with operations. Human rights lawyer and activist Harrison Gwamnishu, who amplified the original video, condemned the officer’s remarks as a clear and present danger to public safety. “It’s important Nigerians see this video,” Gwamnishu stated. “This is a clear threat because we don’t know where this police officer is operating, and someone could be harmed while recording during a stop-and-search operation.” Gwamnishu has since renewed calls for mandatory psychological evaluation and drug testing for officers accused of public misconduct.

Following the tsunami of public backlash, Isokpehi posted a follow-up apology video on his TikTok page on Thursday, May 21, 2026. Speaking in Pidgin English, he pleaded for forgiveness from Nigerians and specifically addressed Gwamnishu. “Please forgive me. If I offended you as a brother, forgive me. That statement was just out of annoyance because of the things that are happening. These things are painful,” he said. Isokpehi clarified his position on filming police officers, attempting to draw a distinction between lawful documentation and what he called abuse of the practice. “Actually, you can video us. You are allowed to video a policeman. But it’s not right for just anybody to come from anywhere and start videoing officers on duty. They have taken it too far,” he argued. He dismissed his earlier death threats as mere rhetoric, saying: “How can I be saying I will kill my own people? We don’t do that. I spoke out of annoyance. That one was just verbal talk.”

According to his account, Isokpehi is from Edo State and grew up in the barracks in Kaduna. He claimed to have served 12 years in the Mobile Police unit and 26 years in total with the Nigeria Police Force. “Anywhere people ask about me, people will testify to my character. I have worked for my fatherland with all my heart,” he said. In his closing remarks, he appealed directly to those who condemned him: “Harrison, forgive me. I beg the whole of Nigeria, please forgive me. This one has reached too far. If you want to know me, come and meet me one-on-one. You will know me personally. I will not run. I will not surrender.” He ended with a message of hope: “We have decided that we will die for our fatherland. One day, things will surely get better by the grace of God. One love to the world.”

As of this publication, the Nigeria Police Force has not issued any official statement regarding the incident. It remains unclear whether Isokpehi has been identified by his superiors, summoned for questioning, or subjected to any disciplinary proceedings. Under the Police Act and Regulations, making threats to kill—whether to civilians or fellow officers—constitutes a serious offence punishable by dismissal and potential criminal prosecution. Rights groups have urged the police leadership to use this incident as an opportunity for nationwide retraining on modern, rights-compliant policing standards and to reaffirm that no officer is above the law.

A serving Nigerian police officer has ignited a firestorm of outrage after a viral video captured him threatening to kill any member of the public who dares to film him while on duty

Apology | Shina Peller | Buendia | Rotimi Amaechi | World Cup | Apology | Max Dowman |Ogbomoso pic.twitter.com/opVKepDocO

— Newstrends.Ng (@Newstrends_ng) May 21, 2026

VIDEO: “I’ll Kill Anyone Who Films Me on duty”: Police Officer Issues Death Threat