The Lagos State Special Offences court has sentenced Christopher Jackson Edeh, a former banker, to a total of 39 years’ imprisonment for his involvement in a ₦2.7 billion fraud. The fraud involved the manipulation of bank account details belonging to customers and government-related entities. Edeh was found guilty of altering account information to facilitate fraudulent transactions.
Justice O.O. Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja, delivered the judgment on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. The judgment followed Edeh’s prosecution by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Edeh was arraigned on February 28, 2024, on nine counts bordering on fraudulent false accounting and unauthorised access to a computer system.
The charges accused Edeh of altering account information belonging to several customers and institutions. The affected accounts included the Kano State Government Power Intervention Fund, NNPC Trading Limited, Stallion Vision Ltd, the Lagos State Government Blue Line project, the State Contributory Pension Account, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University. During the proceedings, EFCC prosecuting counsel Z.B. Atiku presented three witnesses and tendered documentary evidence to support the allegations against Edeh.
Edeh’s defence team also called one witness in the course of the trial. After considering the evidence presented by both sides, Justice Abike-Fadipe ruled that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt. She subsequently found Edeh guilty on all nine counts. The court’s decision was based on the evidence presented and the severity of the offences committed.
The court imposed five years’ imprisonment without an option of fine on each of the first seven counts relating to fraudulent false accounting. For counts eight and nine, which concerned unauthorised access to a computer system to facilitate criminal activities, the judge handed down two years’ imprisonment on each count. However, his sentences total 39 years, but the judge ordered him to serve them concurrently.
The conviction followed an investigation and prosecution by the EFCC into the financial misconduct involving the alteration of account details. The judgment brings the trial, which began with Edeh’s arraignment in February 2024, to a conclusion at the Lagos Special Offences Court. The EFCC’s efforts to combat financial crimes and protect the integrity of the financial system were highlighted in the case.
The case highlights the severity of financial crimes in Nigeria and the efforts of the EFCC to combat them. The sentence serves as a deterrent to others who may engage in similar activities. Key points include:
Key points
- The Lagos State Special Offences court sentenced Christopher Jackson Edeh to 39 years in prison for his role in a ₦2.7 billion fraud.
- Edeh was found guilty of altering account information to facilitate fraudulent transactions involving several customers and government-related entities.
- The conviction followed an investigation and prosecution by the EFCC into the financial misconduct involving the alteration of account details.
