Crime
FBI: Lagos Yahoo Boy Defrauds U.S. President Donald Trump
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has filed a civil forfeiture complaint to seize property belonging to Lagos-based fraudster, Ehiremen Aigbokhan for allegedly stealing more than N460 million in funds meant for U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration.
The FBI is also actively pursuing an arrest warrant for Mr Aigbokhan in connection with an alleged cryptocurrency fraud and money laundering scheme that targeted a donor intending to contribute to the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee.
According to legal filings seen by Peoples Gazette, Mr Aigbokhan and his co-conspirators allegedly carried out a sophisticated fraudulent operation using the notorious Business Email Compromise scheme to trick their victims into sending money to cryptocurrency accounts belonging to them.
In the weeks leading up to the inauguration on January 20, 2025, the FBI reported that fraudsters created several fake email addresses to mimic the legitimate ones used for the ceremony, which they sent to dozens of people, requesting donations for Mr Trump’s swearing-in ceremony.
On December 26, 2024, one of these fake emails, with the address @t47lnaugural.com, was sent to a victim to mimic @t47inaugural.com, the official email of the co-chair of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, Steve Wiktoff.
The victim subsequently sent 250,300 USDT.ETH to the criminals. The 250,300 USDT.ETH is estimated to be worth over ₦400 million at the current black market rate.
Within days of receiving the money, the perpetrators immediately disbursed 215,000 USDT.ETH to several crypto wallets before the FBI caught wind of the scam and requested crypto operator Tether to freeze the accounts, which the company voluntarily adhered to on December 31, court documents showed.
Following the scam, the FBI immediately launched an investigation into the matter, and records of the crypto address associated with the scheme were traced back to Mr Aigbokhan in Lagos.
Investigations by the FBI revealed that part of the stolen funds were transferred to a Binance.com account registered to Mr Aigbokhan, who created the account in October 2024.
The Binance account had no prior deposits before receiving transfers from the scam wallet.
Further digital forensics linked the fraudulent email accounts and cryptocurrency transactions to Nigeria, with IP address data consistently tracing logins and email activity to Lagos, corroborating the connection to Mr Aigbokhan.
The agency said 20,017 USDT.ETH was seized from Mr Aigbokhan’s wallet, and another 20,336 USDT.ETH from 0xC7bdBA7ffB126F68E8454C, totalling over N60 million in black market rate, which Rick Blaylock Jr, the Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, is asking the court to declare its forfeiture.
Crime
BREAKING: Tragic One-Way Crash Claims Tricycle Driver’s Life in Meiran Lagos
A commercial tricycle driver has been killed in a fatal one-way crash in the Meiran area of Lagos State.
According to preliminary reports, the incident occurred when a vehicle travelling against the designated flow of traffic on a one-way road collided head-on with the tricycle.
The impact left the tricycle driver with severe injuries, and he was confirmed dead at the scene by emergency responders.
Officials from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Nigeria Police Force were quickly mobilised to the location. The crash site was secured, and traffic was temporarily disrupted as recovery operations got underway. The body of the deceased has been evacuated to a nearby mortuary pending formal identification and further investigations.
Authorities say the exact circumstances surrounding the crash, including the identity of the tricycle driver and details of the other vehicle involved, are still being established. Police have launched a probe into the incident, with particular focus on the alleged one-way driving that led to the collision.
Road safety officials have once again cautioned motorists against driving against traffic, describing the practice as a major contributor to fatal accidents on Lagos roads. Further updates are expected as the investigation progresses.
Crime
JUST IN: Zamfara LG Chairman Freed After 61 Days in Captivity
The Zamfara State Police Command has confirmed the release of Nura Abdullahi, Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area, after spending 61 days in the captivity of kidnappers.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the development to Arise News in a telephone interview on Thursday. He said the chairman is presently receiving medical attention in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, following his release.
According to the police, Abdullahi regained his freedom alongside other persons who were abducted with him on the same day and taken to an unknown location. The exact circumstances surrounding the release were not immediately disclosed.
Police authorities have remained silent on whether any ransom was paid to secure the victims’ freedom. However, unconfirmed reports circulating in the state claim that the sum of ₦200 million was earlier paid to the kidnappers. The reports further allege that the abductors refused to free the chairman at the time and continued to hold him, demanding additional payment.
The abduction occurred when heavily armed attackers invaded Abdullahi’s residence in Bungudu town. During the assault, two security agents attached to the local government chairman were killed. His elder brother was also shot and later died in hospital from the injuries sustained.
The release of the Bungudu LG chairman marks the end of a prolonged ordeal that had drawn concern across Zamfara State. Further details on the condition of the other freed victims and any ongoing investigations are still being awaited from the police.
Crime
Boko Haram Attacks Adamawa Community, Kills Residents
Boko Haram militants have launched a deadly invasion of a community in Adamawa State, killing several residents and setting multiple houses ablaze.
The attack, described by local sources as sudden and coordinated, saw the fighters storm the area, opening fire on civilians and torching homes. Survivors reported scenes of chaos as residents fled in different directions to escape the assault. A number of people were confirmed dead, while others sustained injuries and are receiving treatment.
The burning of houses has left many families displaced, with properties and livelihoods destroyed in the violence. The community remains tense, and residents are calling for increased security presence to prevent further attacks.
Security forces are yet to issue a comprehensive official update on the incident, though reports indicate that troops have been mobilised to the area.
The assault is the latest in a series of raids attributed to the group in the northeast, underscoring the ongoing threat posed by the insurgents in Adamawa and neighbouring states.
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