EFCC docks musician Felix Duke for alleged N21.2m fraud
By Ayorinde Oluokun
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Thursday arraigned a musician, Felix Duke Osagie, (a.k.a Felix Duke,) for alleged involvement in N21.2m fraud.
Duke was arraigned before Justice Ismail O. Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on a four-count charge bordering on stealing, obtaining money by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime, and giving false information.
In one of the charges, EFCC alleged that Duke sometime in 2020 dishonestly converted over N21 million belonging to one Mr. Joseph Onuh Oguche for his own use, thereby committing an offence of stealing contrary to Section 280 and punishable under Section 287 of Criminal Laws of Lagos 2015.”
In another charge, the anti-graft agency alleged that Duke on the 2nd of April, 2026, in Lagos, made a false statement to its officers in the course of investigation.
The musician allegedly lied to the EFCC operatives of the existence a land he had authority to sell at Ise in Ibeju- Lekki, Lagos, thereby committing an offence to wit, false information contrary to and punishable by Section 39 of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission Establishment Act, No.1 of 2004.”
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.
Following his “not guilty” plea, prosecution counsel, Abdulhamid Lamido Tukur, asked the court for a trial date and prayed that the defendant be remanded in a correctional centre.
The defence counsel, Sunday Afolabi, however, informed the court about a pending bail application dated November 4, 2026, and filed on November 5, 2026.
According to him, the application was supported by an 18-paragraph affidavit deposed to by the defendant’s wife.
He urged the court to grant bail to the defendant on very liberal terms or on self-recognisance.
In response, the prosecution counsel, Tukur, informed the court that the prosecution had filed a counter-affidavit dated November 10, 2026.
He, therefore, urged the court to consider paragraph six of the counter-affidavit, stating that the defendant had jumped bail since July 2026.
The prosecution counsel also disclosed his intention to call four witnesses during the trial.
Tukur said: “We filed a 14-paragraph counter-affidavit, urging the court to reject the bail application.
“The defendant had jumped EFCC’s administrative bail since July.
“Also, the defendant has been carrying on with his fundamental rights enforcement suit in another court through his legal counsel.”
Justice Ijelu granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira), with two sureties in like sum.
One of the sureties must be a blood relative of the defendant.
Both sureties must be resident in Lagos; must have paid taxes to the Lagos State Government within the last three years and must also provide evidence of a verifiable source of income.
Justice Ojelu further ordered the defendant to surrender his passport to the Court’s Registrar.
The judge also barred him from travelling outside of Nigeria pending the conclusion of the matter.
Justice Ijelu adjourned until December 16, 2026, for the commencement of trial and ordered the defendant to be remanded in a Correctional facility pending the perfection of his bail conditions.