10 Most Wanted Criminals And Fraudsters In Nigeria

In this article I will be sharing with you 10 most wanted criminals and fraudsters in Nigeria and the various crimes that they committed. Some of these criminals are politicians, public figures and celebrities who have been declared wanted by security agents. These criminals have been on the most wanted list of EFCC and FBI for their crimes against humanity.

Some of this criminals are drug addicts, cyber criminals, fraudsters, corrupts government official who embezzled public funds and many more. These criminals have stolen more than $30 billion from Nigerian treasury and American treasury and they have been declared wanted by several security agencies like the EFCC and FBI.

1. Ijeoma Ugwah

Ijeoma Ugwah is declared wanted by the EFCC for $10m advance fee fraud and employment scam. Ijeoma Ugwah is wanted by the EFCC in a case of criminal conspiracy, employment scam and obtaining money by false pretence. She allegedly induced the petitioner to pay into her account the sum of $10m and another N4m for a fictitious Federal Government appointment. The fair-skinned fugitive is 62 years old and hails from Owerri in Imo State. She is fluent in English and Igbo languages. Her last known address was at No. 20 Oladele Oke Street in Okota, Lagos till she flew to an unknown location for fear of been caught by the EFCC.

2. Ittu Theresa

Ittu Theresa is wanted by the EFCC for a N1bn contract fraud. Ittu Theresa is a principal suspect in two cases of fraud, contractual malpractices and obtaining goods under false pretence to the tune of N1bn and $1.4m respectively. She allegedly received about N1bn from a government agency as payment for contracts which she failed to properly execute. Furthermore, the suspect was alleged to have fraudulently collected aircraft parts worth over $1.4 million from a Russian company and ran away with the payment. The suspect failed to honor the EFCC invitation and is currently on the black list of the EFCC.

3. Susan Elya

Susan Elya is an Australian fugitive wanted for N20m Forex fraud. She is declared wanted by the FBI and EFCC in a case of criminal breach of trust and obtaining money by false pretence. The suspect allegedly collected N20m from the complainant, promising to help change the money to US dollars. However, after receiving the money, all efforts to reach the suspect failed. Susan Elya who is currently 41 years old and dark in complexion is wanted by the FBI and EFCC. Her last known address was at No. 11, Vernam Street, Maitama in Abuja till she flew to an unknown location for fear of been arrested by the FBI and EFCC.

4. Mrs Ngozi Olejeme

Mrs Ngozi Olejeme is on the run for diverting N69bn public fund, and money laundering. The Former Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund has been living in the shadows since she fled the country to avoid arrest for allegedly diverting N69bn alongside a former Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, Mr Umar Abubakar. They were said to have stolen the money by awarding bogus contracts and through other financial malpractices. They allegedly committed the crime with Mrs Theresa Ittu. Mrs Ngozi Olejeme who hails from Asaba in Delta State is a principal suspect in two cases of fraud. She was declared wanted by the EFCC and went into hiding while her sureties was detained by the EFCC.

5. Aisha Shettima

Aisha Shettima, a banker who hails from Maiduguri in Borno State is wanted by the EFCC for money laundering. She has been on the run from the EFCC since 2016 till date for allegedly laundering money believed to be proceeds of crime. In November 14, 2016, she was convicted on a 10 counts charges bordering on money laundering. Investigations revealed that the suspect laundered money which was proceeds of crime through the accounts of her siblings and daughter, as well as through the purchase of vehicles and stocking of a provision shop. While her case was still ongoing at the Federal High Court, the suspect jumped bail, which made the judges of the court to issue bench warrants for her arrest.

6. Doron Umansky

Doron Umansky is an Israeli who speaks both Yoruba, English and Hebrew fluently. He is on the run for fraud and forgery.  Doron Umansky was believed to have fled Nigeria after he was indicted for obtaining money by false pretence, stealing, forgery and altering. The 57-year-old allegedly committed the crime alongside Hannah Sobowale and Hammed Ariyomi who are also on the run. Doron Umansky last known address were at Signature Suites in Asaba, Delta State and No 52A, Tunde Adebola Street in Victoria Island, Lagos till he flew to an unknown location for fear of been caught by the FBI and EFCC.

7. Valentine Iro

Valentine Iro was declared wanted by the FBI for cyber crimes. The 31-year-old was declared wanted alongside with 38-year-old Chukwudi Igbokwe, as the lead suspects in the three-year FBI investigation of romance scams, business e-mail compromise, wire fraud and money laundering. At the end of the investigation, about 80 Nigerians were indicted, with some of the accomplices still in Nigeria. Iro and Igbokwe’s role was to ensure the laundering of money deposited by a victim into a bank account or a money service account. He went into hiding after he was declared wanted by the FBI.

8. Idris Usman

Idris Usman is accused of complicity in the misappropriation of N1bn SURE-P fund. He is declared wanted by the EFCC for alleged complicity in misappropriation of public funds, money laundering and abuse of office. Idris Usman is a contractor in Katsina state and also the Managing Director of Idris Kwado & Sons Ltd, as well as Aminu Dikko & Sons Ltd. According to the EFCC, the suspect was given a contract of N1bn by the immediate past governor of Kastina State, Ibrahim Shema, who is facing trial for alleged N11bn fraud. Idris Usman who hails from Katsina went into hiding ever since and became one of the most wanted criminal in Nigeria.

9. Anthony Onetule

Anthony Onetule is wanted by the FBI and EFCC for cyber crime and hacking. Anthony Onetule, who is currently 34 years old, was declared wanted by the United States Federal Bureau of Intelligence and the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crime Commission for allegedly hacking into a computers and stealing privates and classified information, compromising company’s email and causing damage on a large scale. Anthony Onetule was born in Lagos. He went into hiding and became one of the most wanted criminal in Nigeria after he was declared wanted by the EFCC and the FBI.

10. Tompolo

Tompolo whose real name is Government Ekpemupolo was the leader of the Niger Delta Militant also known as the Niger Delta Avengers. He is wanted by the EFCC for a N45.9bn fraud. The EFCC filed a 40 counts charges against Tompolo and nine others on offence bothering on fee fraud and money laundering. Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court in Lagos issued a bench warrant against Tompolo and declared him wanted in January 14, 2016 after he declined a summon issued on him by the judge to appear in court in connection with the fee fraud charges filed against him and nine others by the EFCC. Buba ordered the law enforcement agencies to produce Tompolo before him on or before January 8, 2016, for him to answer the charges, but rather than appear in court on January 8, 2016 he went into hiding.