The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukayode, has revealed how suspected internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo boys, emptied the six-year savings of a serving judge in a single night.
Speaking at the public presentation of two books authored by retired High Court judge, Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye, Olukayode recounted that the victim lost more than ₦7.2 million—money she had painstakingly saved over six years to fund her child’s education.
According to the EFCC chairman, the judge, who serves in one of the South-South states, contacted him at about 1:00 a.m. after being awakened by multiple debit alerts from her bank account.
He explained that the continuous alerts left the judge alarmed as the funds were being withdrawn in rapid succession during the early hours of the morning.
“She had just been scammed of the money she had been putting together for six years to send her child to school. Before she knew it, about ₦7.2 million had been taken from her account,” Olukayode said.
The EFCC boss disclosed that the commission immediately launched an investigation and successfully recovered the entire amount before 6:00 p.m. the same day.
Olukayode used the incident to highlight the growing threat posed by cybercrime, noting that victims often appreciate the seriousness of financial crimes only after experiencing them firsthand.
He also recalled that the same state had previously witnessed attempts to restrain the EFCC from investigating certain financial crimes through court orders, but stressed that the judge urged the commission to act swiftly despite such legal
hurdles.The anti-graft agency’s chairman called for stronger collaboration among law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and members of the public to combat cybercrime and financial fraud across the country.
He further expressed concern over the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in criminal activities and investigations, urging lawmakers and legal scholars to review existing legislation, particularly the Evidence Act, to address the admissibility of AI-generated evidence in Nigerian courts.
According to him, rapid technological advancements require corresponding legal reforms to ensure the justice system keeps pace with emerging digital realities.
Also speaking at the event, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), urged anti-corruption agencies to intensify efforts to recover billions of naira in stolen public funds allegedly stashed abroad.
Agabi warned that the current generation would be judged harshly if Nigeria failed to recover assets illicitly moved outside the country.
Former Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), advocated stricter enforcement of Nigeria’s cybercrime laws, while the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Ajayi, maintained that securing convictions against offenders would serve as a strong deterrent to criminal activities.
The event also featured the unveiling of Electronic Evidence (Second Edition, with the Evidence Act, 2011) and A Compendium of Cases on Electronic Evidence (Volume II, 2020–2025), both written by retired Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye.
The ceremony was attended by serving and retired judicial officers from the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and other courts across the country.
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