The Kano Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested three suspects at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport while attempting to smuggle 1,144 Automated Teller Machine cards out of the country.

The suspects: Abdullahi Usman, Musa Abubakar and Abdulwahid Auwalu, were arrested between November 24 and December 1, 2021.

Upon their arrest, it was discovered that  Abubakar who was on his way to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, had concealed 714 ATM cards while Usman who was heading to Saudi Arabia had  298 ATM cards in his possession.

A statement on Friday by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren,  titled, ‘EFCC arrests three suspects with 1,144 ATM cards at Kano airport,’ stated, “Abdulwahid, on the other hand, was arrested with 132 ATM cards while trying to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Istanbul, Turkey.

“The suspects will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.”

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Meanwhile, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, on Friday, adjourned till January 20,  2022 for adoption of written addresses in the no-case submission filed by one Ayodeji Oluokun, a self-acclaimed Lagos-based pastor.

Oluokun was arraigned alongside his company, Peak Petroleum Industry Nigeria Limited, on a two-count charge bordering on issuance of dud cheques to the tune of $1.6 million.

He was first arraigned on January 21, 2019, on offences contrary to Section 1(1) (b) of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, Cap D 11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting his trial.

The defendant was alleged to have some­time in 2014, approached the management of GOSL Nigeria Limited for a $1 million and $666,666, loan which he claimed he needed to carry out operation activities in his company’s oil field in Bayelsa State.

Investigations by the EFCC, however, revealed that contrary to his claim, the monies were diverted to personal use, including purchase  of a mausoleum at Vaults and Garden.

The prosecution led by S. Daji presented several witnesses and tendered documents to prove the case against him.

Uwujaren in a statement said the fourth prosecution witness, Chidi Chidiebere, a worker at  Vaults and Gardens, testified that the defendant, indeed, procured a mausoleum in which his late mother, Florence, was buried on November 23, 2012.

During the proceeding on Friday,  the defence counsel, F. Fafomu, informed the court that the defence had filed a no-case submission and served the prosecution.

Justice Taiwo adjourned till January 20 for adoption of the no-case submission.