Convicted Nigerian Fugitive Onyegbu Extradited To US

A convicted Nigerian fugitive, Florence Enwerem Onyegbu, has been extradited to the United States over criminal charges that violate the country’s law.

Her extradition followed a request by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), seeking assistance for her arrest.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying Onyegbu was apprehended at her residence in the Ojodu area of Lagos on February 21, 2022.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said investigations by the anti-graft revealed that she had changed her name from Florence Onyegbu to Janet Boi in an attempt to remain hidden.

According to him, Onyegbu is wanted in the US to answer questions involving the offer and payment of illegal remuneration in a healthcare matter.

“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,” the statement read.

“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.

“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.”