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Posted By OgaDeyVex On May 27th, 2026

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it has arraigned one Igoin Peter, who allegedly posed as a Special Adviser to the President on ICT Development and Digital Innovation, before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, over an alleged N25m fraud.

The defendant was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on impersonation and obtaining money under false pretences.

The anti-graft agency disclosed this in a post on its X handle on Tuesday.

According to the EFCC, Peter allegedly presented himself as a presidential aide and used the claim to obtain funds for a purported cryptocurrency exchange licence.

Count one of the charge read: “That you, Igoin Tokoni Peter, sometime between 30th August, 2024 and 30th October, 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court with the intent to defraud, obtained the aggregate sum of N25,941,787.00 (Twenty Five Million, Nine Hundred and Forty One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Seven Naira) through Smartz Skyward Energy Limited account No 1312736201 domiciled with Zenith Bank from Dontown Assets Limited under the false pretense that you are the Special Assistant to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on ICT Development and Digital Innovations and that the said sum will be used to secure cryptocurrency exchange operational license which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

Count two read: “That you, Igoin Tokoni Peter, sometime between 5th September 2024 and 10 October 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with the intent to defraud, obtained the aggregate sum of N19,806,500.00 (Nineteen Million, Eight Hundred and Six Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) through Smartz Skyward Energy Limited account No. 1312736201 domiciled with Zenith Bank from Jeriod Limited, under the false pretense that you are the Special Assistant to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on ICT Development and Digital Innovations and that the said sum will be used to secure cryptocurrency exchange operational license which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) of the Advanced Fee Fraud Act and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him.

Following his plea, prosecution counsel Christopher Mshelia asked the court for a trial date and requested that the defendant be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending trial.

Justice Egwuatu, in his ruling, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N400m with two sureties in like sum. He ordered that both sureties must be resident in Abuja, with one required to be a property owner who must submit property documents, a passport photograph and means of identification.

The second surety must be a civil servant on Grade Level 15, who must also submit office identification and a passport photograph.

EFCC added that the judge ordered that the defendant be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.

It said the case was adjourned to July 16, 2026, for commencement of trial.

Source: https://punchng.com/efcc-arraigns-fake-presidential-aide-over-n25m-fraud/