EFCC ARRAIGNS FOUR HOTEL STAFF IN LAGOS OVER N91.7M AND N3.4M FRAUD

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, has arraigned four suspects—Adetunji Mathew, Victor Damilare Olaomo, Douglas Agorom Ikwugwu, and Arowolo Adeniyi Abiodun—before Lagos State High Court in Ikeja over allegations of fraud and theft.

Mathew and Olaomo appeared before Justice O. A. Okunuga on a five-count charge of conspiracy to commit felony and stealing to the tune of N91,749,230. The offences are contrary to Sections 409 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

One of the counts against Mathew reads:

“That you, ADETUNJI MATHEW TEMIDAYO, sometime between 2024 and 2025 in Lagos, while being the accountant of God’s Touch Apartment and Hotels, dishonestly converted to your own use an aggregate sum of N64,764,830, property of God’s Touch Apartment and Hotels.”

Olaomo faces a similar count for allegedly converting N26,082,400 of the company’s funds to his personal use.

The other two suspects, Ikwugwu and Abiodun, were arraigned before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court on a five-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, and retention of proceeds of crime, totaling N3,466,000.

Douglas Ikwugwu, Duty Manager at God’s Touch Apartment Hotel, was accused of stealing N1,966,000, while Auditor Arowolo Abiodun allegedly misappropriated N1,500,000.

All four defendants pleaded not guilty.

Following their plea, the prosecution, led by B. M. Isah and U. S. Kyari, requested trial dates and urged the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility pending trial. It was also revealed that Mathew had filed a bail application.

Counsel for Mathew, I. A. Salau, urged the court to grant liberal bail terms.

Justice Okunuga ordered that Mathew and Olaomo remain in custody, adjourning the bail hearing to March 17, 2026. Justice Abike-Fadipe adjourned the bail application for Ikwugwu and Abiodun to March 16, 2026, with the trial scheduled for May 20, 2026.

The EFCC continues its crackdown on financial crimes in Lagos, emphasizing accountability and adherence to the law.