From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, October 8, 2026, arraigned a Nigerian-American, Oluwatobi Adegoke, before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court, sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State, on a one-count charge of stealing.
Adegoke was arrested in July 2026 by operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate, over an alleged cross-border vehicle import fraud involving more than $320,000, equivalent to approximately N434.88 million.
Preliminary investigations allegedly linked the defendant to a syndicate based in the United States, which was said to specialise in defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians under the guise of purchasing and importing vehicles from the US.
Further investigations revealed that Adegoke allegedly advertised and circulated photographs of a 2024 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG to prospective buyers in Nigeria while residing in the United States, claiming he could purchase and ship the luxury vehicle to them.
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The investigation further indicated that two victims allegedly paid a combined sum of more than $320,000 in connection with the transaction.
However, the particulars of the charge presented in court stated that the alleged offence involved $680,000 belonging to Ikechukwu Osita Ifeabunike.
The charge reads: “Statement of Offence:Stealing contrary to Section 278(1)(b) and Section 285(1)(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Particulars of Offence:Oluwatobi Adegoke sometime in December, 2024 at Lagos within the Ikeja judicial division, dishonestly converted to your own use, the sum of ($680000) property of Ikechukwu Osita Ifeabunike, being money transferred to the bank account of your company Omosco Auto Sales LLC for purchase of 2022 G Wagoon from Mr Robinson.”
Adegoke pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Arazeem Adebayo, urged the court to fix a date for trial and order the defendant’s remand.
Defence counsel, Olalekan Abiodun, who had earlier been overruled on his objection to the arraignment, was again overruled after applying for the defendant to be remanded in EFCC custody pending the filing of his bail application.
Consequently, Justice Abike-Fadipe, ordered that Adegoke be remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
The court adjourned the case until January 13, 2027, for trial.
