LAGOS COURT ISSUES BENCH WARRANT FOR FLEEING INTERNET FRAUDSTER ‎

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‎By: Motunrayo Aniwura

‎Justice Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Ekweozor Peter, a suspected internet fraudster, after he failed to appear in court for his scheduled arraignment.

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‎Peter was initially arrested on May 13, 2024, along with others, following credible intelligence linking them to a syndicate of internet fraudsters operating out of the Indy-Pool Hotel on Idowu Street, Ajegunle, Olodi Apapa, Lagos.

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‎Investigations revealed that he had created fake Facebook and Instagram accounts, posing as a female pornographic actor based in Atlanta, USA, to defraud unsuspecting individuals online.

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‎He was granted administrative bail during the investigation and was expected to report regularly to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC, but failed to comply.

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‎Upon conclusion of the investigation, a charge was filed against him before the court.

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‎At the scheduled sitting on Tuesday, prosecution counsel Ayanfe Ogunsina informed the court of the Commission’s unsuccessful efforts to re-arrest the defendant, who had jumped the administrative bail granted to him and, as a result, could not be brought before the court for arraignment.

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‎“Efforts to reach the two persons who stood as sureties for him have also been futile, as they too have absconded. My Lord, the defendant is aware that a charge has been filed against him, and he is on the run to evade arraignment and trial,” he said.

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‎Ogunsina consequently filed a motion ex parte seeking an order of the court to issue a warrant of arrest against the defendant.

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‎Ruling on the application, Justice Fadipe held that “the application is granted as prayed.”

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‎The case was adjourned till June 18, 2025, for further proceedings.