Mompha charges the EFCC with intimidation and blackmail.

 Ismaila Mustapha, better known online as Mompha, responded to being listed as sought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by accusing the organization of extortion and intimidation. On June 30, 2022, The PUNCH had reported that Mompha's absence had caused the Ikeja Special Offenses Court's Justice Mojisola Dada to postpone his alleged N6 billion money laundering trial. Then, on Wednesday, the troubled social media star was listed as sought for a crime in a notice signed by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwajaren. Mompha responded to the notification on Thursday with long Instagram posts, noting that the EFCC had blackmailed him using his absence through the representation of Rotimi Oyedepo, an attorney for the agency. 

Mompha went into great detail about the events leading up to his arrest and arraignment by the EFCC in a statement titled "Mompha Wanted By The EFCC" - The Truth Story. Mompha stated, "The court handed me judgment and ordered EFCC to release my wrist watches and other valuables in their custody to me for having been wrongfully confiscated on the 10th of December 2021, following my arrest and arraignment on the first case at the Federal High Court Lagos. "Being a bitter agency, the EFCC came up with further false accusations against me in protest of the court's decision to release my wristwatches.

"On January 10, 2022, while I was at their office in Okotie Eboh to retrieve my wristwatches in accordance with the court's judgment, they held me down and charged me with the false charges shortly after I had collected my wristwatches. "I was arraigned before a judge who was familiar to the EFCC, and as a result, I was given a very challenging bail to fulfill. As a result, I spent more than two months in detention while attempting to pay the challenging bail.

"I successfully appealed for the bail requirements to be decreased after numerous attempts to comply with the bail conditions failed, which ultimately resulted in my release.

As soon as I was released, I left Nigeria to check on my family's health and welfare before returning shortly. Rotimi Oyedepo, an EFCC corrupt lawyer, and EFCC agent Kaina Garba instead of concentrating on building their case against me, however, used the fact that I had left Nigeria to threaten me into agreeing to a plea deal or risk having my bail revoked.

"I initially refused, but after being subjected to so much blackmail and intimidation by Rotimi Oyedepo, I gave in and agreed to pay N142 million to the EFCC as compensation and sign a sentence of one year in prison, which I found uncomfortable. They later lowered the amount to N40 million and one year in prison.

They told the judge I traveled without any supporting documentation or consideration when it became clear to the EFCC that I wasn't going to accept the plea deal and play along. In response to being listed as sought, Mompha continued, "Finally it was evident accepting the plea bargain with the EFCC, which they tried to drive me into at all costs, meant I would be found guilty of a crime I did not commit and thus become an ex-convict.

And this is what the EFCC wanted from me, so they lied about wanting me and misled the public out of desperation to get more social media attention. "I want the general public to know that the bench warrant issued by the court for my appearance in court in the upcoming court session, not the EFCC, is what is seeking my appearance.

I never stole from anyone or took part in money laundering. I still don't understand why EFCC is so desperate for work that they want to smear my reputation. The international court will finally resolve this issue.

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