EFCC Arrests Nigerian-American for Alleged $320,000 Vehicle Import Fraud

ILORIN – Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), attached to the Ilorin Zonal Directorate, have arrested a Nigerian-American dual citizen, Adegoke Oluwatobi Adams, over his alleged involvement in a sophisticated cross-border vehicle import racket valued at more than $320,000 (approximately ₦434.88 million).

​Adams is currently under intense interrogation for an alleged criminal breach of trust and obtaining money under false pretences.

​According to preliminary intelligence gathered by the anti-graft agency, the suspect is a key operative in a United States-based syndicate. The network allegedly targets unsuspecting Nigerian buyers by posing as legitimate automobile dealers capable of sourcing, purchasing, and shipping high-end vehicles from the US.

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​The G-Wagon Trap

​The syndicate’s operations came to light after Adams allegedly advertised a pristine 2024 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG (popularly known as a G-Wagon) to prospective buyers in Nigeria, using circulated photographs to lure interested parties.

​EFCC investigators revealed that Adams managed to sell the exact same luxury vehicle to two different buyers simultaneously, collecting full payments from both.

​The victims, identified as Ikechukwu Osita Ifeabunike and Godson Azubuike Amans, fell prey to the scheme. Ifeabunike reportedly funneled $145,000 through an intermediary, while Amans parted with $175,000, bringing the syndicate’s total illicit haul from the single vehicle to $320,000.

​A History of Fraud

​A deeper dive into the suspect’s background by the Commission uncovered a prior criminal record in the United States, where Adams had previously been flagged by American law enforcement for offences tied to the illegal acquisition of automobiles.

​Believing he was out of reach of his victims, Adams recently returned to Nigeria. However, tracking operatives from the EFCC’s Ilorin office closed in on him shortly after his arrival.

​An EFCC official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly on ongoing investigations, confirmed that the suspect will be formally arraigned in a court of competent jurisdiction as soon as the anti-graft agency wraps up its findings. Efforts are also underway to track down other international members of the syndicate.