● Friday Audu’s family maintain their accusation of injustice against the Abuja-based businessman
[Press Release] The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] has responded to a recent media briefing by the family members of Friday Audu and Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) on the continued detention of Audu.
Friday Audu is being detained at the federal Correctional Centre Ikoyi following ongoing prosecution for alleged Cybercrime and money laundering by the Commission.
His family and HURIWA had accused the anti-graft agency of serial underhand tactics in the matter.
But the EFCC has responded to the allegations, debunking the accusations and stating that Friday Audu’s detention is at the instance of a competent court of law.
The EFCC also said it had charged the alleged kingpin of the Chinese syndicate to court contrary to insinuations that it allowed the main culprits to walk free even as Friday Audu was being vigourously prosecuted.
But the facts contained in the EFCC’S statement on the charging of the Chinese kingpin was contradicted by the family of Friday Audu just as the family said the Chinese man reportedly charged by EFCC was not the person known to Friday Audu.
The family of Friday Audu stated that the person reportedly charged by the EFCC as indicated in the EFCC’s written statement to HURIWA was not known to Friday Audu and not the specific Chinese man that Friday Audu related with.
The family said: “That is Haoyu Huang. That is the one and only Chinese person he knows. Whoever they claimed to have charged from their alleged syndicate is not known to Friday. They should contradict us on their claim that they arrested him in Lagos on December 10, during their so- called Operation Eagle Flush raid and they should also disprove our position that he doesn’t know anyone among their 792 gang in any manner whatsoever, either through direct contact, indirect contact or through a proxy.
“We stand by our claims that Friday Audu is being roped in into a matter he knows nothing about as far as those 792 members syndicated apprehended by EFCC in Lagos.”
The EFCC told HURIWA that the charges at both the Federal and Lagos state High courts were not duplications but were necessitated by the provisions of extant laws based on the alleged offences which bordered on alleged Federal and state Crimes.
“We charge accused person to both Federal High Court and state high court in Lagos state based on the alleged offences which are both Federal and state offences which they are accusing Friday Audu of committing.”
But Friday Audu has vehemently denied those allegations.
The EFCC top official who spoke to HURIWA on condition of anonymity insisted that the commission had followed the due process of the law.
The officer then forwarded the statement circulated to media to demonstrate that some main kingpins of the scam for which Friday Audu is being prosecuted, were already charged before a competent court of law.
Friday Audu’s family said they did not know the specific Chinese identified in the EFCC’s statement below.
The statement by the EFCC reads: “The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, May 15, 2025, arraigned a Chinese National, Li Kuang Kuang before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on a one-count charge of alleged cybercrime.
“The defendant is one of the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024, in Lagos, during a sting operation tagged ‘Eagle Flush Operation’ conducted by EFCC operatives.
“The charge reads: ‘That you Li Kuang Kuang and Genting International Co. Limited sometimes in December 2024 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourabe Court, willfully caused to be accessed computer system for the purpose of destabilizing and destroying the Economy and social structure of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrime [Prohibition, Prevention, Etc] Act, 2015 [As Amended, 2024]’.
“He pleaded “not guilty” to the offence when it was read to him.
“In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, U.S Kyari, prayed the court for a trial date and the defendant’s remand in the Correctional Center.
“However, the defence counsel, Emmanuel Nnadozi, informed the court of their willingness to apply for a plea bargain.
“Justice Osiagor remanded the defendant in Ikoyi Correctional Center and adjourned the matter to July 18, 2025 for report of plea bargain or commencement of trial.”
The EFCC’s officer who spoke with HURIWA then said: “Analysis of the charge and proof of evidence shows that:
The 2nd defendant, Mr. FRIDAY AUDU, incorporated Genting Ltd., the 4th defendant. He sourced for the company directors. He opened the account of Genting Ltd , which received over 3.4 billion naira illicit funds. He nominated himself as the sole signatory to the said account.”
HURIWA however maintains that accused person charged before the court of law are innocent in the eyes of the law until a contrary determination is reached by a competent court of law as constitutionally stipulated in section 36(5) which says: ” Every person who is charged with criminal offence SHALL be presumed to innocent until he is proved guilty.”
Signed
Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko,
National Coordinator,
HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA). MAY 20TH 2025.
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