EFCC Restores Hope: 70-Year-Old Widow Reclaims ₦42.5 Million Stolen By Banker

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has successfully returned the sum of ₦42.5 million to a 70-year-old widow and retiree, Mrs. Margret Taye Odofin, who was defrauded by her former account and investment officer at a new generation bank.

According to reports by Ireporter Online, the restitution was made in Kaduna, where the Acting Director of the EFCC’s Kaduna Zonal Command, Bawa Kaltungo, presented the recovered funds to Mrs. Odofin on behalf of the Commission’s Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede.

Investigations revealed that Mrs. Odofin had petitioned the EFCC in December 2024 after discovering that her banker, Mrs. Kehinde Olawale Yusuf, had diverted her life savings. The widow disclosed that Yusuf enticed her into a bogus investment scheme in 2020, promising quarterly returns of ₦1.7 million. However, she later found out that ₦47 million had been fraudulently withdrawn from her account and moved to several destinations without her consent.

The suspect reportedly fled to the United Kingdom after the fraudulent act was uncovered, but the EFCC’s investigation led to her being tracked and a portion of the funds recovered.

An emotional Mrs. Odofin, while receiving the recovered money, expressed deep gratitude to the Commission and its leadership, describing the EFCC as an institution that has restored her faith in justice.

“I cannot believe this is happening. When we reported the matter in the UK, we were told the crime was committed in Nigeria and that only the EFCC could help. Today, God has used the Commission to wipe away my tears,” she said tearfully.

She added that she would continue to speak in support of the EFCC for proving that “justice still works in Nigeria.”

Speaking during the restitution, Kaltungo reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to protecting citizens from financial crimes, emphasizing that the recovery was a testament to the EFCC’s professionalism and renewed zeal under Olukoyede’s leadership.

He noted that the Commission would continue to pursue justice for victims of economic crimes, ensuring that offenders are held accountable regardless of how long it takes.