EFCC Arraigns Musician Felix Duke Over Alleged N21.25m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Nigerian musician Felix Duke Osagie, popularly known as Felix Duke, before the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja over an alleged N21.25 million fraud.

The musician was brought before Justice Ismail O. Ijelu by the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 on Thursday, November 12, 2026, to face a four-count charge bordering on stealing, obtaining money by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime and providing false information.

According to information made available to Bush Radio Academy, one of the charges accused Duke of stealing and converting N21.25 million belonging to a man identified as Joseph Onuh Oguche for his personal use in 2020.

The commission also alleged that on April 2, 2026, the defendant made a false statement to EFCC investigators concerning the existence of a parcel of land located in Ise, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, which he reportedly claimed he had the authority to sell.

The alleged offences include violations of relevant provisions of the Lagos State Criminal Law 2015 and the EFCC (Establishment) Act 2004.

Duke, however, pleaded not guilty to all four charges when they were read to him in court.

Following his plea, prosecution counsel, Abdulhamid Lamido Tukur, urged the court to adjourn the matter for trial and order that the defendant be remanded in a correctional facility.

In response, defence counsel, Sunday Afolabi, informed the court that a bail application dated November 4 and filed on November 5, 2026, was already pending. He told the court that the application was supported by an 18-paragraph affidavit sworn to by the defendant’s wife.

Afolabi subsequently urged Justice Ijelu to grant his client bail on liberal terms or allow him to enjoy bail on self-recognisance.

However, Tukur opposed the application, informing the court that the prosecution had filed a 14-paragraph counter-affidavit dated November 10, 2026.

The EFCC counsel alleged that Duke had jumped the commission’s administrative bail since July 2026. He also claimed that the defendant was pursuing a fundamental rights enforcement suit in another court through his legal counsel.

The prosecution further disclosed that it intended to call four witnesses to testify during the trial.

In his ruling, Justice Ijelu granted the musician bail in the sum of N10 million, with two sureties who must each provide the same amount.

The judge directed that one of the sureties must be a blood relative of the defendant, while both sureties must reside in Lagos State, have paid taxes to the state government within the last three years and provide evidence of verifiable sources of income.

Justice Ijelu also ordered Duke to surrender his international passport to the court registrar and prohibited him from travelling outside Nigeria while the case remains pending.

The court adjourned the matter until December 16, 2026, for the commencement of trial. The defendant was ordered to remain in a correctional facility pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.