The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has returned a sum of N36,186,012.00 to Mrs. Ifeoma Chukwuogo, Proprietress of Jephtah International School, East-West Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The money was recovered from three suspects who allegedly diverted the school’s money for their private use.

The suspects are Cyril Ameh Idakwoji, a staffer of Access Bank Plc, who was the Account Officer of the school; Boma Obama Chisom, who posed as the Customer Relations Officer of the bank; and Aderemi Adebayo Moses, who prints fake documents. The trio allegedly diverted over N37 million belonging to the school.

Presenting the money to the School Proprietor, the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of Operations of the EFCC, Mr. Ishaq Salihu, disclosed that apart from the cash recovery, the Commission, in the course of investigation, also recovered other suspected proceeds of crime including a three-bedroom and two two-bedroom bungalows.

He commended Access Bank for promptly reporting the case. The matter was reported September 7, after the school’s cheques could not be honoured for days. Salihu explained that at the beginning of every new term, Idakwoji would visit the school to collect fees paid in cash and cheque by parents, and issue deposit slips to the school. Investigations showed that he only lodged the cheques but diverting the cash collected for his personal use.

Besides, Idakwoji issued doctored Statements of Account to the school in a bid to cover up his nefarious actions. Salihu further disclosed that another accomplice of Idakwoji, Moses, printed fake letter heads of another organisation where he is also the account officer and was using their money to pay Jephtah International School’s staff salaries.

In her response, Mrs Chukwuogo thanked EFCC for its swift response and called on Nigerians to give more support to the Commission. “On behalf of Jephtah International Schools, I want to say a very big thank you for helping us recover this money,” she said.

•Jephtah International School Proprietress, Ifeoma Chukwuogo, after receiving the cheque from EFCC.

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