EFCC Hands Over Recovered N42.5m to 70-Year-Old Widow in Kaduna

From: Femi Oyelola in Kaduna

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over a bank draft of N42,500,000 (Forty-Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) to Mrs. Margret Taye Odofin, a 70-year-old widow and retiree.

The funds were recovered from her fraudulent account and investment officer, Mrs. Kehinde Olawale Yusuf, who worked at one of the new generation banks.

The handover took place on Thursday, November 2025, at the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Commission, conducted by its Acting Director, Bawa Kaltungo, on behalf of EFCC’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.

Mrs. Odofin had filed a petition with the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC in December 2024, alleging that Mrs. Yusuf, her account and investment officer, had lured her into investing in several Ponzi schemes between November 2020 and December 2020. Yusuf had promised her a quarterly return on the investment of N1,700,000 (One Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira). Unknown to Mrs. Odofin, however, Mrs. Yusuf’s real intention was to defraud her.

As a result, Mrs. Odofin later discovered that N47 million had been withdrawn from her account and transferred to various bank accounts without her consent. After Mrs. Odofin inquired about the transactions, Mrs. Yusuf cut off communication and fled to the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, the EFCC was able to trace and recover the stolen funds.

An overjoyed Mrs. Odofin expressed her gratitude to the Commission and to Olukoyede for the recovery.

“I cannot believe this,” she said. “When we reported this case in the United Kingdom, where Mrs. Kehinde Yusuf absconded after defrauding me, they informed us that the offense was committed in Nigeria.

They advised us to report it to the EFCC, which we did. Today, I am singing with joy because God has used the Commission to wipe away my tears. I have waited for years to recover my hard-earned money.”

Mrs. Odofin went on to say, “I want to thank Mr. Ola Olukoyede for the excellent job he is doing. I will advocate for the EFCC wherever I go because they have given me every reason to believe and testify that the Commission is working sincerely. I pray that you all continue to succeed.”

Kaltungo reiterated the commitment of Olukoyede’s leadership to achieving justice for victims of financial fraud at the event. “I want to sincerely appreciate you for trusting the Commission to help you recover your hard-earned money. We are pleased that we have demonstrated our professionalism and capacity to resolve any fraudulent activity within our mandate,” he said.