The operatives of the anti-graft agency raided the private
station on Monday night, October 14, 2024, and arrested a presenter, Favour
Ekoh, during a live programme.
The operatives also arrested three other staff members
and allegedly seized equipment worth millions of naira during the raid.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on
Tuesday, October 15, said the agency was at the station to invite Ekoh, over
alleged involvement in a N700 million Ponzi scheme in which about 50 victims
were defrauded.
According to Oyewale, the chairman
of the Radio Station ordered that the gate of the building be locked in and
out, thereby holding the operatives hostage.
He noted that the Managing Director
of the station, Bamikole Owoyomi, and two security guards were arrested for
obstruction of justice as they initially prevented the operatives from carrying
out their official duties.
Oyewale however stated that four
staff members made statements and have since been released.
“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,” the statement read.
"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 capital 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 who locked them within the premises of the
Station.
"Ekoh had to be trailed to the
Station for arrest because the nature of the fraudulent dealings necessitated a
sting operation that would foreclose her escape or go underground.
"She was neither
arrested while on air nor any disruption of the lawful activities of the Radio
Station took place. No equipment at 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 duties. They also made statements
to that effect and have since been released.
"The EFCC holds the media in
high esteem both as the fourth estate of the realm and a 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.”
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