Ola Olukoyede, the head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), recently shared how internet scammers managed to drain over N7.2 million from a serving judge’s bank account during the night. Olukoyede recounted the event during the debut of two books authored by retired judge Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye.
The judge reached out to Olukoyede around 1 am, distressed by a series of debit alerts. The stolen funds were intended for her child’s tuition, representing six years of careful savings. Despite a court order previously restricting the EFCC from probing specific financial matters in that region, the judge insisted on intervention. The commission responded quickly, successfully recovering the full N7.2 million by 6 pm that same day.
Olukoyede highlighted that this incident underscores the urgent need for citizens to treat cybercrime with severity, noting that personal experience often changes perspectives on the issue. He advocated for deeper collaboration between the public, law enforcement, and the judiciary. Furthermore, he urged the legislature to modernize laws to facilitate the integration of artificial intelligence in criminal investigations, pointing out that current legal frameworks complicate the use of AI-generated evidence in court.
During the same event, Kanu Agabi, a former Attorney-General of the Federation, encouraged anti-graft agencies to focus efforts on repatriating stolen public assets hidden in foreign jurisdictions.
