BENIN CITY — A major international oil scam has been exposed in Edo State as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) hauled an alleged fraudster, Amechi James Oduofor, before the Federal High Court in Benin City over a $285,000 crude oil transaction scam.
Oduofor was docked on Wednesday before Justice C. A. Obiozor on an eight-count criminal charge bordering on forgery, impersonation, and obtaining money under false pretenses.
Forged Credentials and Fictitious Cargo
According to investigators from the EFCC’s Benin Zonal Directorate, Oduofor masqueraded as “Engr. Bright Wilcox,” claiming to be a desk manager in charge of offshore petroleum loading operations at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Armed with a fabricated NNPC staff identity card and forged documentation, Oduofor allegedly duped a Singaporean businessman, Jimmy Kee, into paying $285,000 under the guise of settling a “cargo reassignment fee” for Nigerian light crude oil.
Detailing the fraudulent operations, the anti-graft agency stated:
Forged Identity: The defendant fabricated an NNPC official ID card bearing the false name to gain the victim’s trust.
Document Manipulation: He altered a pro-forma invoice for marine equipment and transmitted it to Kee using an email address created specifically to facilitate the scam.
Defendant Remanded Ahead of Trial
Appearing in court, Oduofor pleaded not guilty to all eight counts preferred against him by the anti-graft agency.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel I. M. Elodi urged the court to fix a trial date and order the defendant remanded in prison custody.
Justice Obiozor ordered that Oduofor be remanded at a correctional center and adjourned the matter to November 19, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
