Nigerian fugitive extradited to U.S. over offer, payment of illegal remuneration

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said a convicted Nigerian fugitive, Florence Enwerim Onyegbu, was, Thursday, extradited to the United States of America (USA) where she is wanted to answer to criminal charges bordering on violation of the U.S. Law involving the offer and payment of illegal remuneration in a health care matter.

EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed this in a press statement Friday in Abuja.

“Her extradition was coordinated by the EFCC following a request by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seeking assistance for her apprehension.

“Investigations by the EFCC revealed that she had changed her name from Florence E. Onyegbu to Janet Boi in an attempt to remain hidden.

“She, however, ran out of luck when operatives of the EFCC swooped on her at her residence in the Ojodu Area of Lagos on February 21, 2022.”

According to Uwujaren, “Upon her arrest, a national identity card with the name Janet Boi as well as a Texas driver’s license with the name Florence Enwerim Onyegbu were found on her.”

He added that, “The commission, on March 22, 2023, handed over Onyegbu to the FBI, following an extradition order granted by Justice Z.B. Abubakar of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on December 2, 2022.”

The spokesperson disclosed that, “Onyegbu’s travails began after she was arrested on February 12, 2011 in the U.S. and subsequently sentenced to 46 months imprisonment, following a guilty plea over the violation of the U.S. Law bordering on the offer and payment of illegal remuneration in a health care matter.

“Although she was ordered to report for service of her sentence on April 4, 2011 she failed to surrender on that date.

“Consequently, she was further charged with failure to surrender for service of sentence in violation of U.S. Law on March 4, 2013.”