By olopa
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Olori Halima Tejuoso in connection with an alleged N600 million fraud involving Mrs Mary Oluwaseye Sholoye and Mallam Ibrahim Gidado.
Tejuoso was arrested on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, after she allegedly failed to honour a formal invitation extended to her by the Commission, following her earlier release on administrative bail.
Confirming the development, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said Tejuoso was picked up by operatives after she allegedly jumped bail granted to her in the course of investigations into the transaction.
According to Oyewale, the arrest became necessary after all efforts to get Tejuoso to report back to the Commission proved abortive, forcing the EFCC to intensify its search for her.
He disclosed that Mallam Ibrahim Gidado, who is also linked to the same case, had been arrested earlier and has already been arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction, where his case is currently ongoing.
Investigations into the matter revealed that Tejuoso is accused of obtaining about N600 million from Mrs Mary Oluwaseye Sholoye by false pretence, allegedly in connection with Gidado.
Sources within the Commission said the transaction, which is at the centre of the probe, involved a large sum of money allegedly collected under questionable circumstances, prompting Sholoye to petition the EFCC.
During an earlier appearance before EFCC investigators, Tejuoso was said to have denied any wrongdoing, claiming instead that she was also a victim and that Gidado had allegedly defrauded her of the same money she was accused of collecting from Sholoye.
She reportedly told investigators that she had handed over the funds to Gidado based on representations made to her, only for the transaction to go awry.
However, the anti-graft agency said that after Gidado was apprehended and questioned, it became imperative to re-invite Tejuoso to clarify certain grey areas in her earlier statement and to confront her with new findings from the ongoing investigation.
The Commission stated that Tejuoso failed to honour the fresh invitation and subsequently became unreachable, with her known phone lines switched off and her whereabouts unknown.
Following her repeated failure to report, and in line with its standard procedure, the EFCC declared her wanted on April 27, 2026, and circulated her details to its zonal offices nationwide.
Her arrest on September 15, therefore, brings to an end nearly five months of search for her whereabouts.
The EFCC said her apprehension will now enable investigators to conclude the investigation and establish the true circumstances surrounding the alleged N600 million transaction, including the nature of the relationship between Tejuoso, Sholoye and Gidado.
The Commission also noted that it will be looking into the flow of funds, the roles played by each party, and whether there was any criminal intent or conspiracy to defraud.
While the case involving Gidado has already progressed to court, the EFCC said further legal steps regarding Tejuoso will be taken upon conclusion of investigation and in accordance with due legal process.
The Commission reiterated that its investigation remains open and that more details may emerge as interrogation continues.
The EFCC, however, stressed that the allegations against Tejuoso remain mere accusations at this stage and have not been proven.
All parties involved are presumed innocent unless and until found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
