EFCC Impersonation Trial: witness reveals how first defendant posed as chairman’s aide

The second prosecution witness in the trial of Ojoba Joshua and Aliyu Haskim, who are accused of impersonating the Personal Assistant (PA) to the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has told a court in Abuja that the first defendant introduced himself as the EFCC chairman’s aide.

The witness, Tanko Abubakar, an EFCC investigating officer, made the disclosure on Thursday, 5 November 2026, before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja.

Abubakar, who testified as the second prosecution witness (PW2), said Joshua told him he was the personal assistant to the EFCC chairman in the presence of the second defendant, Haskim.

The EFCC is prosecuting the two defendants on an amended four-count charge bordering on impersonation, conspiracy and obtaining $700,000 by false pretence.

According to the prosecution, Joshua allegedly paraded himself as Olukoyede’s personal assistant and conspired with Haskim to obtain $700,000 from a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko.

The defendants allegedly posed as EFCC operatives and approached Bello-Koko, claiming that his tenure as NPA managing director was under investigation by the commission.

They allegedly told him that the EFCC chairman and the commission’s Director of Operations had demanded $1 million to halt the investigation, before eventually agreeing to collect $700,000.

During Thursday’s proceedings, Abubakar made the disclosure while being cross-examined by counsel to the first defendant, Obinna Nwosu.

When asked to provide evidence that Joshua had introduced himself as the EFCC chairman’s personal assistant, the witness said video recordings captured Haskim stating in his own statement that Joshua had made the claim.

“My Lord, there are video clips to show when the second defendant said in his statement that he is the PA to the EFCC chairman. He said this when we were driving in the car,” Abubakar told the court.

The witness was subsequently asked to identify the specific portion of the video recording in which the alleged statement was made.

In response, Justice Onwuegbuzie observed that playing the entire video footage would take up considerable court time. He therefore directed the prosecution to review the recordings, identify the relevant portions and present them at the next adjourned sitting.

Earlier, prosecution counsel, Elizabeth Alabi, drew the court’s attention to an affidavit seeking permission to call her next witness virtually.

She explained that the witness would be unable to appear physically because he was outside the country.

Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the application and adjourned the case to 9, 16, 19, 23 and 30 November 2026 for continuation of trial.