Ex-convict arraigned again for alleged N12m theft

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a former convict, Oluokun Gabriel Adekola, before the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja over an alleged N12 million theft.

Adekola was brought before Justice Rahman Oshodi on an amended charge bordering on stealing to the tune of N12 million.

The EFCC alleged that the defendant and others still at large colluded in 2025 to conceal and disguise the true origin of the N12 million paid into his bank account.

The anti-graft agency also alleged that Adekola transferred and converted the funds to cash through Point of Sale (POS) agents to obscure the source of the money.

It further stated that the N12 million forms part of a larger sum of N3,091,441,849 reportedly stolen from accounts domiciled in a new generation bank through unauthorised access and fraudulent activities carried out on the bank’s mobile banking applications.

When the charge was read to him in court, the defendant pleaded guilty. Following his plea, prosecution counsel M. K. Bashir and E. S. Okongwu asked the court to fix a date for the review of the facts and sentencing.

The prosecution also urged the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility pending the next adjourned date.

Justice Oshodi subsequently adjourned till March 17, 2026, for the review of facts and sentencing.

Adekola was previously convicted on July 23, 2020, by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State. He was jailed for 20 years for defrauding a Taiwanese national of $22,300, following his prosecution by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC on a six-count amended charge of obtaining money by false pretence.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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