By Funmilayo Akinyemi
Operatives of the Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, have arrested two suspects over alleged ₦275 million fraud.
The suspects, Sylvanus Edet Akpan, Auditor of Ubotex Limited, Uyo, and Akaninyene Enefiok Achibong, Cashier of the same company, were accused of alleged criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, forgery and stealing by conversion to the tune of ₦275,000,000.
They were arrested separately on April 25, 2025 and May 12, 2025, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Their arrest was based on the claims of a petitioner who alleged that the duo manipulated the accounts of Ubotex Limited and fraudulently stole ₦275m from the company.
The petitioner allegedly employed the services of an external Auditor to review and audit the financial activities of the company between 2021 and 2025 and discovered that the suspects conspired and falsified account books and defrauded the company of ₦275m by generating fictitious payment vouchers.
The auditors found out that the suspects also forged signatures of scheduled staff members saddled with various responsibilities and used the same to steal funds from the company. The petitioner suspected that ₦200m was allegedly stolen by the suspects but when the external auditors completed their reviews, they discovered that ₦275m was actually stolen by the suspects.
According to a statement by the Commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the suspects admitted to the crimes and will be charged to court soon.
