EFCC recovers ₦42.5m for 70-year-old widow defrauded by bank officer. By Abibu Shehu Ibrahim
EFCC recovers ₦42.5m for 70-year-old widow defrauded by bank officer
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered and handed over a bank draft of ₦42,500,000 (Forty-Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) to a 70-year-old widow and retiree, Mrs Margret Taye Odofin.
She was swindled by her former account and investment officer, Mrs Kehinde Olawale Yusuf, a staff member of one of the new generation banks.
The symbolic handover took place on Thursday, November 2025, at the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.
The Acting Director of the Directorate, Mr Bawa Kaltungo, presented the recovered funds on behalf of the Commission’s Executive Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede.
Mrs Odofin had, in December 2024, petitioned the EFCC, alleging that Mrs Yusuf, her account and investment officer, had between November and December 2020 deceitfully convinced her to invest in fictitious Ponzi schemes, promising a quarterly return of ₦1.7 million (One Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira).
Unbeknownst to her, the banker’s true intention was to defraud her.
The widow later discovered that a total of ₦47 million had been siphoned from her account and transferred into various bank accounts without her consent.
Upon confrontation, Mrs Yusuf abruptly severed all communication and fled to the United Kingdom.
However, her escape abroad did not deter the EFCC, which diligently traced and recovered a substantial portion of the stolen funds.
An elated Mrs Odofin, while receiving the recovered sum, expressed deep gratitude to the Commission and its leadership.
> “I cannot believe this. When we reported the case in the United Kingdom where Mrs Kehinde Yusuf absconded after defrauding me, they said the offence was committed in Nigeria and advised us to contact the EFCC.
“We did, and today I am singing praises to God because He has used the Commission to wipe away my tears.
“I have waited for years to get my hard-earned money back.
“I want to thank Mr Ola Olukoyede for the excellent work he is doing.
“I will campaign for the EFCC anywhere because today, they have given me every reason to believe in their sincerity.
” I pray for continued success for the Commission,” she said.
Speaking at the event, Mr Kaltungo reaffirmed the EFCC’s unwavering commitment under Olukoyede’s leadership to ensure justice for victims of financial crimes.
> “I sincerely appreciate you for trusting the Commission to help recover your hard-earned money.
” We are glad to have earned your confidence and demonstrated our professionalism and capacity to tackle fraudulent activities within our mandate,” he stated.
The case stands as another testament to the EFCC’s resolve in safeguarding Nigerians from financial exploitation and ensuring that justice is served, no matter how far the perpetrators may flee.
