WHY WE INVADED RADIO STATION TO ARREST SUSPECT – EFCC

WHY WE INVADED RADIO STATION TO ARREST SUSPECT – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has explained that a radio presenter with Urban Radio, Favour Ekoh, was arrested over her involvement in a ponzi scheme where she lured unsuspecting victims into parting away with over N700 million with the promise of offering them 10% of their investment on a monthly basis, saying the ponzi scheme had since closed with no track of other members of the criminal syndicate.

In a press statement on Tuesday, the EFCC denied allegations of wrongdoing in effecting the arrest of the “prime suspect” who was planning to be at large before luck ran out of her, insisting that the operatives provided sufficient identification and warrant of arrest but were obstructed from carrying out their lawful duties by some lawless individuals who ostensibly shut them inside the building.

Describing Favour Ekoh as a principal suspect in the fraudulent activity, the statement noted that the company, Life Trading, was used by the suspect and her cohorts now at large to swindle over 50 victims to close to one billion naira.

If further denied interrupting Urban Radio’s live programme, nor taking away any of its devices, describing such one-sided narrative as a false attempt to mislead innocent members of the public.

Read the statement in full:

EFCC PRESS STATEMENT

EFCC’s Arrest at Urban Radio Enugu: Facts of the Matter

On Monday, October 14, 2024 a team of operatives of the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, comprising four officers were at Urban Radio 94.5FM, Enugu to invite one Favour Ekoh, host of Prime Time, a programme running at the Station.

Ekoh is being investigated by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the EFCC in an alleged N700 million Ponzi scheme fraud involving about fifty (50) victims. According to the victims, Ekoh allegedly lured them into investing in a scheme “Life Trading” in a company, Leverage Index Limited, where they were offered returns on investment of 10 percent of their capitals after a period of time.

The victims alleged that after investing their money into the company located at No. 1 Colliery Street, Okpara Avenue, Enugu State, the company closed its office with no return on investment or principal returned to the victims. Ekoh allegedly invited the victims into the business and she remained the only link the victims could hold.

At the Radio Station, operatives of the Commission, holding a warrant of arrest for Ekoh, identified themselves as officers of the EFCC. They informed the Managing Director of the Station, Bamikole Owoyomi, about their mission. However, in a rather strange twist, a staff of the Station called the Chairman of the Radio Station who ordered that the gate of the building be locked in and out, thereby holding the officers hostage. Faced with such hostility, they called for a rescue team which eventually arrested Omoyomi, Ekoh and the two security guards that locked them within the premises of the Station.

Ekoh had to be trailed to the Station for an arrest because the nature of the fraudulent dealings necessitated a sting operation that would foreclose her escape or going underground.

She was neither arrested while on air nor any disruption of the lawful activities of the Radio Station took place. No equipment of the Station was tampered with and she has since been released after being allowed to make a Statement at the Enugu office. Owoyomi and the two security guards were arrested for obstruction of justice as they initially prevented the operatives from carrying out their official duty. They also made statements to that effect and had since been released.

The EFCC holds the media in high esteem both as the fourth estate of the realm and critical stakeholder in the fight against economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption, but the precipitate and unlawful obstruction of officers of the Commission from carrying out their duties, by staff of the Radio Station, is unacceptable.

Besides, the professional credentials of Ekoh, a principal suspect in a Ponzi scheme to the tune of N700m affecting 50 innocent Nigerians, are questionable. The Commission hereby calls on the International Press Institute, IPI, and the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, to investigate the conduct of the Station in the light of integrity and ethical professional practice.