Nigerian socialite and businessman Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha, has launched a blistering attack on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, after the anti-graft agency linked him to a fresh money laundering case involving a suspected fraudster, Sarumi Samusudeen Babafemi.

The EFCC had announced the arraignment of Babafemi before a Lagos State High Court, describing him as an associate of Mompha. That single description triggered a furious response from the flamboyant businessman, who has had a long and contentious history with the commission.

In a statement shared via his Instagram page, Mompha accused the EFCC of deliberately dragging his name into a case in which he is not standing trial, branding the commission “the most useless and corrupt government agency” in Nigeria. He insisted that the agency was bent on tarnishing his image and using his notoriety to sensationalise its prosecutions.

The EFCC, in its own account, said Babafemi was arraigned alongside three companies allegedly linked to him: 606 Autos Limited, 606 Music Limited, and Splash Off Entertainment Limited. They were brought before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, concealment, and transfer of proceeds of crime amounting to 206 million naira.

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors allege that Babafemi, as managing director and chief executive officer of the three companies, used their accounts to disguise the origin of funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, and then transferred those funds to third parties.

One of the counts specifically names Mompha as a co-conspirator who is “now at large,” a legal phrase indicating that he is not currently in custody or before the court. The EFCC alleges that between 2013 and 2018, in Lagos, Babafemi conspired with Mompha, another suspect identified as Ridwan Momodu Allison, also said to be at large, and one Richard Ugbah, to conceal the origin of funds and transfer 37.6 million naira to a woman named Omojadesola Shittu Allison.

Prosecutors claim that the defendants knew or ought reasonably to have known that the funds formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act. Another count alleges that between 2015 and 2018, Babafemi used his companies’ accounts to conceal the origin of 93 million naira, which was then transferred to one Olanrewaju Ibrahim Oriyomi, again allegedly representing proceeds of crime.

When the charges were read in court, Babafemi pleaded not guilty. Following his plea, EFCC counsel Ayanfe Ogunsina urged the court to fix a date for trial and to order that the defendant be remanded in a correctional centre pending the commencement of proceedings.

However, defence counsel Kunle Adegoke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, informed the court that he had only received the charge the previous day. He told Justice Oshodi that he had worked overnight to prepare a bail application and asked that his client be released to him on trust, pending the formal hearing of the bail request. Adegoke gave an undertaking that he would produce Babafemi in court on the next adjourned date.

Justice Oshodi granted the request, ordering that the defendant be released to his counsel upon the filing of an affidavit of undertaking to ensure his presence in court. The matter was then adjourned for the commencement of trial.

It was the EFCC’s public communication on the case, particularly the reference to Mompha as an associate of the defendant and a co-conspirator “now at large,” that sparked the businessman’s outrage. On Instagram, where he has built a large following by showcasing a lifestyle of luxury cars, designer fashion, and international travel, Mompha accused the commission of waging a vendetta against him.

He argued that the EFCC routinely uses his name to generate headlines and public interest, even in cases where he is not before the court. He further alleged that the agency is riddled with corruption and inefficiency, claiming that its officers are more interested in media trials and extortion than in genuine, methodical investigations.

Mompha’s clash with the EFCC is not new. He has previously been arrested and charged by the commission on allegations of money laundering and internet fraud, cases that have attracted intense media scrutiny and public debate. At various points, he has accused the EFCC of violating his rights, mishandling evidence, and leaking information to the press to prejudice public opinion against him.

In his latest outburst, he framed the EFCC’s mention of his name in Babafemi’s charge as part of a broader pattern of harassment. He maintained that the commission has repeatedly tried to link him to other suspects in order to sustain a narrative that he is at the centre of a sprawling criminal network, a portrayal he vehemently rejects.

Legal analysts note that it is not unusual for law enforcement agencies to list individuals as co-conspirators in a charge even when they are not physically present in court, especially if they are believed to be outside the jurisdiction or evading arrest. However, critics of the EFCC argue that the commission often rushes to publicise such cases in a way that blurs the line between allegation and conviction, damaging reputations before the courts have had a chance to weigh the evidence.

For many Nigerians, the dispute between Mompha and the EFCC highlights a deeper crisis of confidence in public institutions. While the commission was established to combat economic and financial crimes, it has frequently faced accusations of selective prosecution, political bias, and internal corruption. High-profile suspects often claim they are being targeted for reasons that have little to do with justice and much to do with optics, politics, or personal vendettas.

Supporters of the EFCC counter that the agency operates in a difficult environment, confronting sophisticated financial crimes in a system where powerful individuals can deploy vast resources to frustrate investigations and prosecutions. They argue that public criticism from wealthy suspects is sometimes a tactic to discredit the institution and sway public opinion.

In this latest episode, however, Mompha’s language was particularly scathing. By calling the EFCC “the most useless and corrupt government agency,” he not only rejected its allegations but also questioned its legitimacy and integrity. His comments are likely to deepen the already fraught relationship between the commission and a segment of the public that views its activities with suspicion.