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US jails Nigerian who defrauded 400 elderly people of inheritance

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1 year ago

April 30, 2025

Court orders final forfeiture of ‘Telecom Experts’ fraudulent property in Enugu

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A 36-year-old Nigerian national, Okezie Ogbata, has been sentenced to 97 months jail term in the United States for his role in a $6 million transnational inheritance fraud scheme.

The United States Department of Justice disclosed this in a statement released on Monday.

Ogbata was found to be a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalised letters to elderly people across the United States for several years.

The scheme defrauded over 400 individuals, mostly elderly or vulnerable, resulting in losses of more than $6 million.

The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before.

Ogbata pleaded guilty to the charges and admitted to defrauding over $6m from more than 400 victims.

According to court documents, Ogbata and his co-conspirators deceived victims by insisting that, before receiving their supposed inheritance, they were required to pay various fees, such as delivery charges, taxes, and other costs, to avoid government scrutiny.

“Ogbata and his co-conspirators collected money sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive and forward funds to them or their associates.

“Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds,” the statement read.

The statement quoted acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, as describing the case as a testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime.

“I want to thank our U.S. law enforcement partners, as well as those who assisted across the globe, including the Portuguese Judicial Police and Public Prosecution Service of Portugal, for their outstanding contributions to this case,” Roth said.

Also, the U.S. Attorney Hayden Byrne for the Southern District of Florida emphasised the determination of American authorities to pursue fraudsters globally.

“The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations, including the elderly.

“We will not allow transnational criminals to steal money from the public we serve,” Byrne said.

Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Steven Hodges of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division echoed the sentiment, “The USPIS has a long history of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice.

“Today’s sentencing is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, HSI, and USPIS.”

Special Agent in Charge Francisco Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations Arizona condemned the exploitation of the elderly.

“It’s inconceivable to imagine any human being robbing from those who’ve spent a lifetime working and building a life and then are duped out of it all,” he said. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour; we will bring justice to those who have wronged and stolen from so many people.”

Ogbata’s sentencing comes just days after the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the arrest of 22 Nigerian nationals in connection with a series of sextortion schemes, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat cyber-enabled fraud targeting U.S. citizens.

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North-east Governors raise N10.8bn to form regional airline

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5 minutes ago

October 10, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

North East Governors

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The North East Governors’ Forum (NEGF) has concretised its plan to establish a regional carrier by raising N10.8 billion in counterpart funding for the airline already named, ‘North East Airline

The chairman of the forum and Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, disclosed this recently during the opening ceremony of the 10th meeting of the North East Governors’ Forum in Maiduguri.

Addressing the other governors of member states and other regional leaders, Zulum stated that the balance of the counterpart fund would be remitted before the end of the month to enable the immediate rollout of the flight operations.

“The establishment of the North East Air Shuttle is a significant step towards improving connectivity within the sub-region, and we look forward to the commencement of these operations soon,” Zulum said.

“To this end, N10.8 billion has been realised as counterpart contributions from the governors of the North-east region. Insha Allah, the remaining counterpart funds shall be received before the end of this month, this year, with a view to actualising our dream of having the North East Air Shuttle,” Zulum further said.

He urged member states—Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe—to consolidate their commitments and work in unison to ensure the smooth take-off of the regional carrier. (This Day)

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Criticism of Tinubu’s petrol relief disappointing — Lagos APC

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2 hours ago

October 10, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

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The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has criticised opposition parties for rejecting the Federal Government’s proposed 30-day petrol discount, describing their reaction as disappointing and politically motivated.

The party accused the opposition of prioritising “political point-scoring over the welfare of Nigerians struggling with rising transportation and living costs”.

The Lagos APC spokesman, Seye Oladejo, stated this in a statement issued on Friday while commenting on the Federal Government’s plan to introduce the temporary discount through Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited retail outlets, with priority given to public transport operators.

Oladejo said the opposition should welcome efforts to ease the burden on Nigerians while offering constructive suggestions to improve the initiative.

He said, “At a time when Nigerians are grappling with the impact of rising petrol prices on transportation, food prices, household budgets and business operations, one would ordinarily expect a responsible opposition to welcome any credible intervention aimed at easing the burden on citizens, while offering constructive suggestions for improvement.

“Instead, we are confronted with the familiar spectacle of political opportunism masquerading as economic criticism.”

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the Obidient Movement, the Nigeria Democratic Congress and the presidential campaign organisation of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde have rejected the proposed discount, describing it as inadequate and politically motivated.

The Federal Government announced on Thursday that NNPC Limited would forgo its retail profit margin on petrol to sell the product at a discounted price as part of measures to cushion Nigerians against global crude oil price shocks.

The Presidency said the arrangement, backed by President Bola Tinubu, was not a return to the petrol subsidy regime, which ended on May 29, 2023.

Addressing allegations that the discount amounted to a return of fuel subsidy through the back door, the Lagos APC urged the opposition to examine the policy’s structure and financing rather than rely on political labels.

It said critics should present evidence of fiscal irresponsibility or legal irregularities, adding that allegations made without a thorough examination of the policy did not amount to serious economic analysis.

The party acknowledged, however, that the 30-day discount alone could not resolve Nigeria’s cost-of-living challenges. It urged the Federal Government to sustain efforts to stabilise prices, improve domestic refining and distribution, reduce logistics costs, support public transportation, expand access to affordable credit and strengthen household purchasing power.

Oladejo said the government must ensure transparency in implementing the discount, verify that its benefits reached the intended beneficiaries and communicate measures to be taken after the initiative expires.

He challenged the opposition to propose workable alternatives if it considered the intervention inadequate.

“If the opposition believes the 30-day arrangement is inadequate, let it tell Nigerians precisely what it would do differently, how it would finance its proposal and how quickly its alternative would produce tangible benefits.

“Nigerians deserve more than slogans, cynical commentary and the perpetual conversion of economic hardship into campaign material,” he said.

The Lagos APC said concerns about the sustainability of the intervention and what would happen after the 30-day period were legitimate, but should not be used to dismiss the immediate relief it could provide.

Oladejo urged the government to communicate its exit strategy, the criteria for reviewing the intervention and complementary measures to promote price stability.

“Temporary interventions have a legitimate place in economic management, particularly when households and businesses are under immediate pressure. Their value should be judged by their design, implementation, affordability and outcomes—not dismissed simply because they have a defined duration,” he said.

The party urged political actors to avoid exploiting public concerns for partisan advantage as the country approaches another election cycle, insisting that economic hardship required practical solutions rather than political theatrics.

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US asks American business executives to be wary of insecurity, corruption, detention risk in Nigeria

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3 hours ago

October 10, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

The State Department in Washington | Photo: AP/Luis M. Alvarez

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A report by the United States Department of State has identified insecurity, corruption, port inefficiencies and regulatory uncertainty as major obstacles to investment in Nigeria, warning that these challenges continue to weigh on the country’s business environment despite signs of macroeconomic stability.

In its ‘2026 Investment Climate Statements on Nigeria’, the department said the country’s investment landscape has been shaped by the outcomes of “painful but necessary” structural reforms introduced by the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The report said the removal of fuel subsidies and liberalisation of the foreign exchange market initially triggered significant economic volatility, although indicators in early 2026 suggested some stabilisation.

However, it warned that security concerns, administrative bottlenecks and the social consequences of economic reforms remain significant considerations for foreign investors.

“The security environment is a primary variable which gives pause to potential investors,” the report said.

It noted that although attacks on oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta have decreased, oil theft and illegal bunkering persist.

“In the North, the expansion of terrorist and ‘bandit’ groups continues to degrade the climate for agribusiness and mining,” the document added.

The report also raised concerns about the treatment of foreign business executives in regulatory disputes, citing the detention of Tigran Gambaryan, a US citizen and Binance executive, for nearly eight months in 2024.

“Furthermore, the use of coercive exit bans and detentions — highlighted by the high-profile nearly eight-month detention in 2024 of U.S. citizen Binance employee Tigran Gambaryan — serves as a cautionary note for foreign executives regarding the risks of aggressive regulatory friction,” it said.

The report said such cases could influence the perception of Nigeria as a destination for foreign investment.

PORT DELAYS DESCRIBED AS ‘HIDDEN TAX’ ON INVESTMENT

The department identified inefficiencies at Nigerian seaports as another major challenge for businesses, particularly those dependent on imports and exports.

“Port inefficiency remains a significant ‘hidden tax’ on investment,” the report said.

It noted that the Lekki Deep Seaport handled $9.6 billion in trade in 2025 and operated at 50 percent capacity, helping to ease pressure on older facilities.

However, it said traditional ports in Apapa and Tin Can Island continue to experience cargo dwell times exceeding 20 days because of manual examinations.

“To address this, the government launched phase one of the National Single Window (NSW) on March 27, 2026,” the report said.

The platform is designed to integrate trade agencies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, into a single digital workflow.

According to the report, the initiative targets a reduction in cargo dwell time to fewer than seven days and the elimination of 80 percent of manual paperwork by the end of 2026.

92% OF CAPITAL INFLOWS WAS PORTFOLIO INVESTMENT

The report acknowledged an increase in capital inflows but said the figures did not necessarily reflect a corresponding surge in long-term investment in physical infrastructure.

“Nigeria’s capital importation reached $21 billion in October 2025, a large increase from 2024,” it said.

“However, 92 percent was made up of foreign portfolio investment (‘hot money’) seeking high interest rates, while actual foreign direct investment (FDI) in physical infrastructure remained modest.”

The report said Nigeria continues to permit full foreign ownership in most sectors, subject to restrictions in certain industries and licensing requirements.

It also noted that the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission’s One-Stop Investment Centre coordinates 27 government agencies to help investors navigate administrative processes.

The report said US foreign direct investment in Nigeria reached $7.9 billion by the end of 2024, representing a 25 percent increase from the previous year.

It added that bilateral trade between Nigeria and the United States reached $14.8 billion in 2025.

The department said Nigeria’s economic reforms had improved some macroeconomic indicators but imposed high costs on households.

“The fiscal correction came at a high social cost,” the report said.

It added that the removal of fuel subsidies had caused petrol prices to “quintuple from 2023 levels”, contributing to an estimated national poverty rate of 63 percent in 2025, citing an April 2026 World Bank report.

The report said Nigeria’s gross domestic product growth rose from 3.3 percent in 2023 to 4.1 percent in 2024 before easing slightly to four percent in 2025.

It also noted that the Central Bank of Nigeria reported foreign exchange reserves of $50.45 billion in February 2026, which it described as a 13-year peak.

On inflation, the report said headline inflation reached 34.8 percent in late 2024 before falling to 15.15 percent by December 2025 following the rebasing of the Consumer Price Index and subsequent methodological changes.

Food inflation stood at 10.84 percent in December 2025 under the rebased index, it added.

‘CORRUPTION REMAINS A SYSTEMIC BARRIER’

The report identified corruption as a persistent obstacle to investment, including in port operations.

“Corruption remains a systemic barrier, including at seaports where customs delays impede trade,” it said.

It also described Nigeria’s trade regime as “somewhat protectionist”, pointing to high tariffs and import restrictions intended to protect domestic industries.

According to the report, some companies are required to invest in local production in exchange for permits and quotas to import the same products.

It said the government had introduced reforms to improve the regulatory environment, but implementation remains uneven.

“Nigeria’s regulatory environment has transitioned toward a ‘structural reset’ designed to improve predictability, though implementation remains uneven,” the report said.

The department also highlighted the transition from the Pioneer Status Incentive scheme to the Economic Development Tax Incentive, which took effect in January 2026, as an area requiring administrative adjustment for foreign businesses. (The Cable)