Headlines
How Ismaila Mompha Was Arrested with N20m Watches – EFCC
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday provided details of how Ismaila Mustapha was arrested last weekend.
Mr Mustapha, more famous as ‘Mompha’, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos while trying to depart Nigeria for Dubai on October 18, the agency said in a statement.
Operatives found five watches worth N20 million on him, spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren said.
The statement came hours after PREMIUM TIMES reported news of Mr Mustapha’s arrest by anti-graft operatives on allegations of fraud.
Mr Uwujaren earlier confirmed the arrest but told PREMIUM TIMES addition details were underway. Shortly after the close of business on Tuesday, the EFCC disclosed that it received intelligence reports about Mr Mustapha’s alleged fraudulent activities and closed in on him just as he was preparing to depart Nigeria.
He had been based in Dubai for several years where he reportedly runs a money-changing business, according to his social media claims.
The EFCC punctured Mr Mustapha’s business as a ruse, saying he had been using bureau de change as a cover for illicit trade and money laundering enterprise.
Mr Mustapha “perpetrates his fraudulent activities under the guise of being a bureau de change operator,” the anti-graft body alleged.
“Investigations have also revealed” Mr Mustapha has been using his money-changing business, which he jointly owned with his siblings, “as a decoy to launder his proceeds of crime,” officials said.
Mr Uwujaren said Mr Mustapha had “volunteered useful information to the operatives and has admitted being reasonably involved in the first two cases he was alleged to be involved.”
The EFCC credited “actionable cross border intelligence received from collaborative law enforcement agencies about his alleged involvement in the criminal activities” for the arrest, adding that the intelligence “further strengthened our suspicion.”
At the point of arrest, five wristwatches with a total worth of over N20 million were recovered from Mr Mustapha, who would be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded, EFCC said.
Premium Times
The Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated Egypt 4-2 on penalties to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 third-place playoff on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali proved the hero of the night with two crucial saves during the shootout, including one from Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.
Ademola Lookman then calmly converted the decisive penalty to secure the bronze medal —Nigeria’s ninth third-place finish in AFCON history.
With neither side able to break the deadlock in a cagey second half, the game ended 0-0, sending the contest directly to penalties.
Despite Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missing Nigeria’s first kick, Nwabali’s immediate saved from Egypt’s first two attempts shifted the momentum.
The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of the son of a former Jigawa State governor, challenging the decision of the trial court, which convicted him for failing to declare $40,000 at Kano airport.
In a unanimous decision, the apex court panel dismissed the appeal of Aminu Sule Lamido, the son of former governor Sule Lamido, for lack of merit.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Aminu on December 11, 2012, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport while preparing to travel to Cairo, Egypt.
The prosecution said Aminu declared $10,000 to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), but was found with an additional $40,000, which was not disclosed on his currency declaration form.
The EFCC charged him before the Federal High Court in Kano on a one-count offence of false declaration of foreign currency, contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
On July 12, 2015, the court convicted Aminu and ordered him to forfeit 25 per cent of the undeclared sum to the Federal government.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Aminu approached the Court of Appeal in Kaduna to overturn the conviction and set aside the forfeiture order.
In a judgment delivered on December 7, 2015, however, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has ordered that the trial of former governor Lamido, his two sons, and others, over alleged N1.35billion fraud, should continue before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
A five-member panel of the apex court issued the directive in two unanimous judgments, in the two appeals filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Supreme Court upheld the decision of the trial court, which dismissed the no-case submission filed by the Lamidos and held that the defendants had a case to answer.
Both appeals were against the July 25, 2023, judgments of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which upheld the no-case submission made by Lamido and others and struck out the 37-count charge on which they were being prosecuted, on the grounds that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.
In the lead judgments of the Supreme Court, Justice Abubakar Umar set aside the July 25, 2023 judgments of the Court of Appeal and affirmed the earlier decision by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which overruled the no-case submissions by Lamido and others and ordered them to enter their defence.
The EFCC, in the 37-count charge, among others, accused Lamido of abusing his position as a governor between 2007 and 2015, allegedly laundering sums of money received as kickbacks from companies that were awarded contracts by the Jigawa State Government under his leadership.
The other defendants charged alongside Lamido are his two sons – Aminu and Mustapha; Aminu Wada Abubakar and their companies – Bamaina Holdings Ltd and Speeds International Ltd.
