The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has returned ₦42.5 million to 70-year-old widow and retiree Margret Odofin, who was defrauded by her former bank account and investment officer, Kehinde Olawale Yusuf, of a new-generation bank.
The handover followed a thorough investigation by the Commission after receiving a petition from the victim detailing how her funds were diverted by the banker.
According to the petition, the victim, between November and December 2020, lured Mrs. Odofin into investing in a fake “high-return” Ponzi scheme with a promised quarterly profit of ₦1.7 million.
Unknown to her, the banker allegedly siphoned ₦47 million from her account, transferring the funds into multiple accounts without authorization before fleeing to the United Kingdom.
Despite her escape, EFCC operatives successfully traced and recovered a substantial portion of the stolen funds.
The funds were officially handed over at the EFCC Kaduna Zonal Directorate by the Commission’s Acting Director, Bawa Kaltungo, on behalf of the Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
Speaking during the handover, Kaltungo reaffirmed the EFCC’s dedication to securing justice for victims of financial crimes and restoring public trust in the system.
“We appreciate your confidence in the Commission to recover your hard-earned money,” he stated.
“Under Mr. Olukoyede’s leadership, we remain committed to upholding professionalism and delivering justice in every fraud-related case within our mandate,” Kaltungo added.
The EFCC emphasized that its efforts to trace and recover stolen assets, no matter how complex the trail or how far the suspects flee, demonstrate its unwavering resolve to protect citizens from financial exploitation.
While receiving the funds, Odofin, overwhelmed with gratitude, described the recovery as an answer to years of prayer and perseverance.
“I cannot believe this because when we reported the case in the UK, they said the offence was committed in Nigeria and advised us to report to the EFCC,” she said tearfully.
“God has used the Commission to wipe away my tears. I thank Mr. Ola Olukoyede for his excellent leadership. I will campaign for the EFCC anywhere because they have proven to be sincere and effective.”
