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EFCC Arraigns Two Men Over Alleged £110,000, N500m Money Laundering in Lagos
By Joseph Sunday
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, arraigned two men, Ali Bala, also known as Barrister Ahmed, and Yusuf Umar Anka, before the Special Offences Court in Ikeja over alleged money laundering.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe on a 10-count charge bordering on stealing, money laundering and retention of stolen property.
According to a statement signed by the Head, Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, the duo allegedly laundered £110,000 and illegally converted N500 million belonging to one Salihu Muhammed.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Ali Bala (a.k.a Barrister Ahmed) and Yusuf Umar Anka, sometime in 2025 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conducted financial transactions involving proceeds of unlawful activities to disguise the source of the stolen £110,000.00.”
Another count reads: “That you, Ali Bala (a.k.a Barrister Ahmed) and Yusuf Umar Anka, between July and August 2025, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, converted the sum of N500,000,000.00 property of Salihu Muhammed to your use, contrary to Sections 280 (1) (a) and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following their plea, prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility.
Counsel to the first and second defendants, M. Abubakar and S. Makinde respectively, however, indicated interest in a plea bargain and applied for bail for their clients.
Justice Abike-Fadipe adjourned the matter till December 16, 2026, for trial and hearing of the bail applications, and ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility.
