The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a fake presidential adviser, Igoin Tokoni Peter, before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged ₦25 million fraud.
According to the EFCC, Peter allegedly paraded himself as a Special Adviser to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on ICT Development and Digital Innovation. He was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on impersonation and obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of ₦25 million on Friday, May 15, 2026.
Count one of the charges read: “That you, Igoin Tokoni Peter, sometime between 30th August, 2024 and 30th October, 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court with the intent to defraud, obtained the aggregate sum of ₦25,941,787.00 (Twenty Five Million, Nine Hundred and Forty One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eighty Seven Naira) through Smartz Skyward Energy Limited account No 1312736201 domiciled with Zenith Bank from Dontown Assets Limited under the false pretense that you are the Special Assistant to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on ICT Development and Digital Innovations and that the said sum will be used to secure cryptocurrency exchange operational license which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 1 (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Count 2: “That you, Igoin Tokoni Peter, sometime between 5th September 2024 and 10 October 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with the intent to defraud, obtained the aggregate sum of ₦19,806,500.00 (Nineteen Million, Eight Hundred and Six Thousand, Five Hundred Naira ) through Smartz Skyward Energy Limited`s account No. 1312736201 domiciled with Zenith Bank from Jeriod Limited, under the false pretense that you are the Special Assistant to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on ICT Development and Digital Innovations and that the said sum will be used to secure cryptocurrency exchange operational license which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(10) of the Advanced Fee Fraud Act and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him, prompting the prosecution counsel, Christopher Mshelia, to ask the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending trial.
Justice Egwuatu, while delivering his ruling, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of ₦400 million with two sureties in like sum, both of whom must be residents of Abuja. One surety must be a property owner who is required to submit property documents, a passport photograph, and a means of identification, while the second must be a civil servant on Grade Level 15 who must also submit an official identity card and passport photograph.
He also ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions, while the matter was adjourned to July 16, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
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