A wire fraud suspect, Fatade Olamilekan, has been extradited to the United States for allegedly stealing over $3.5 million worth of equipment in various cities across the country.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, five days after the suspect was extradited to answer for the alleged crime.

Olamilekan, it stated, has since been declared wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

“His extradition was coordinated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, following a notice from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI New York, through the US Legal Attache for his role in impersonating various cities, state, and academic institutions across the United States,” the anti-graft agency said in the statement.

“Fatade was indicted by a grand jury in the Southern District of New York for offences of wire fraud, interstate transportation of stolen property and identity theft.”

The suspect was arrested by operatives of the EFCC on September 30, 2021, and his extradition trial commenced sometime in November 2021 before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.

On May 1, the judge granted the request to extradite the suspect to the United States to answer the criminal charges against him.

Upon his arrival in the United States, the suspect is billed to appear before a United States District Court.

Elsewhere, the anti-graft agency said its operatives attached to the Port Harcourt Zonal Command have arrested 24 persons in connection with suspicious illegal oil bunkering.

“They were arrested on Monday, July 18, 2022, at Abonima wharf area, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where suspected illegally refined petroleum products, ferried across rivers are offloaded and trans-loaded into vehicles and trucks for distribution within Rivers state and other states,” it said.

The suspects were identified as Biokpor Kparango, Peace Udofia, Williams Niyabe, Sufiyanu Sale, Ibinabo Sila, Precious Christopher, God is Great Anna, Api Eli, Sabath Orubo, Life Sunday, Paul West, and Obi Omini.

Others are Lucky Akaluogbo, Victor Chibuzor, Omole Oluwa Muyiwa, Darlington Michael, Uche Nwankwo Onyinyechi Anayo, Emem Udofot, Mary Isaiah, Emabong Udoh, Confidence Sotonye, Ukoren Friday and Kingsley Edem.

The suspects, the EFCC said, were arrested based on credible intelligence on their alleged illegal oil bunkering operations.

“In the course of the arrest, a large quantity of products stored in large tanks and drums were discovered but could not be evacuated for security reasons,” it added. “However, a Volkswagen Passat car with registration number ABM 146 RR Rivers was recovered.

“The arrest of the suspects was met with stiff resistance with officers of the EFCC attacked with dangerous weapons, with the rear windscreen of one of the commission’s buses used for the operation damaged.”