High Court Jails Fraudster 37 Years For N29m Procurement Fraud In Damaturu

Justice Lawu Lawan of the Yobe State High Court, Damaturu on Thursday 23, April 2026 convicted and sentenced one Abubakar Sadiq Abubakar to 37 years imprisonment.

The defendant was arraigned by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a four- count charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, criminal misappropriation, forgery and used forged documents as genuine to the tune of N29,175,000. (Twenty Nine Million, One Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand Naira).

Count one reads: “That you, Abubakar Sadiq Abubakar, sometimes in 2023, at Potiskum, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud did obtain the gross sum of N29,175,000 (Twenty Nine Million, One Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand Naira) from one Ibrahim Zakari Waziri, Shittu Ali Firi and Afreebak Nigeria Limited a company registered in Nigeria under the pretence that the said amount represent payment for the supply of 38.9 metric tons of white sorghum when you represented yourself as a Procurement Officer of Bua Food Plc which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act,2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

Count three reads: ” That you, Abubakar Sadiq Abubakar, sometimes in 2023, at Potiskum, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did fraudulently make a false documents to wit: (1) a BUA Food Plc supply agreement dated 10th December, 2024, in the name of Afreebak Nigeria Limited, Potiskum, Yobe State purportedly issued by BUA Food Plc for the supply of 38.9 metric tons of white Sorghum (2) as official statement purported to emanate from BUA Food Plc dated 7th October, 2014 (3) and acknowledgement of receipt of 38.9 metric tons of white sorghum purported to emanate from BUA Food Plc knowing all to be forged and handed same to Ibrahim Zakari Waziri, Shittu Ali Firi and Afreebak Nigeria Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 364 and punishable under Section 366 of the Penal Code Law Cap 102 Laws of Yobe State.”

The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him by the court, prompting the EFCC to put him to trial.

In the course of trial, prosecution counsel Mukhtar Ali Ahmed presented five witnesses and tendered several documents as exhibits before the court.

Justice Lawan thereafter, convicted and sentenced Abubakar on count one with an option of fine to the tune of N100,000.00 or serve ten years imprisonment. While on count two the convict is to pay a fine of N5,000 or serve two years imprisonment.

Jail

On count three, the convict is to pay a fine of N100,000 or serve eight years imprisonment while on count four the judge ordered him to pay a fine of N60,000 or serve seven years jail term.

The judge further ordered the convict to pay the sum of N29,175,000 to the petitioner or serve additional ten years imprisonment.

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The convict’s journey to the prison started when he approached the petitioners and introduced himself as a procurement officer of BUA Foods Plc and issued fake receipts to them for the purchase of sorghum from the company.

He collected the sum of N29,175,000 from his victims. He was thereafter arrested, prosecuted and convicted.

Enugu EFCC Arraigns Two For Alleged N8.9m Investment Fraud In Awka

The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arraigned the duo of Samuel Inalegwu Okpala and Ezelibe Emmanuel Nzube before Justice Bala Khalifa-Mohammed Usman of the Federal High court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, on a four-count charge bordering on fraudulent personation, conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N8, 900, 000. 00 (Eight million, Nine Hundred thousand Naira).

Count two of the charge reads: “That you, Samuel Inalegwu Okpala, sometime in 2025, at Onitsha, Anambra State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with the intent to defraud, induced one Clara Uwakonye to deliver to you, the sum of Five million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N5, 500, 000. 00) under the pretence that she would receive return on investment, a representation which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.

Count four of the charge reads: “That you, Ezelibe Emmanuel Nzube, sometime in 2025, at Onitsha, Anambra State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, fraudulently impersonated one Michael Michael by means of your Samsung A05 mobile phone, via a fake Facebook account, created by you with the intent to gain advantage for yourself from Lisbeth Hojiund and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) & (ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (IV) of the same Act”.

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to them.

In view of their pleas, counsel to the EFCC, Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, ASE I Somtochukwu C. Anyanwu prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded at the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service, NCoS in Awka.

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The matter was thereafter adjourned to April 29, 2026 for hearing of bail application while the defendants were remanded at the facility of the NCoS.

EFCC

Okpala allegedly lured his victims into investing in a fake investment scheme on the pretext that they would receive return on investment. Upon receipt of the money, the defendant became unreachable and all efforts made by his victims to get their money back, proved abortive.

Nzube, on the other hand, conspired with Okpala to perpetrate the illegal act, he specialized in identity theft and making use of fictitious social media accounts with the intent to defraud unsuspecting victims.

Alleged ₦80.2bn Kogi Fraud: Witness Links Multiple Cash Deposits, Dollar Conversions To Yahaya Bello’s Associate

The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, continued on Thursday, April 23, 2026, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, with a prosecution witness narrating how huge cash lodgments were converted to dollars and handed over to a key associate.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Bello on an alleged money laundering amounting to ₦80,246,470,088.88.

Testifying, the witness, Jamilu Abdullahi, a Bureau de Change operator and Prosecution Witness 12, PW12, while being led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, told the court that several cash deposits were made on different dates into the account of E-Traders International Limited by one Abba Adaudu.

“Yes, my lord, there are more cash deposit transactions on different days into E-Traders International Limited,” the witness stated when asked to confirm whether such deposits extended beyond previously identified dates.

Referring to Exhibit 33(6), Abdullahi confirmed that there were cash inflows on March 10 and 11, 2022, but clarified discrepancies in the names of depositors appearing on the transaction records.

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“My lord, I need to explain that the names indicated in the cash deposits—Abdullahi Jamilu, Jamil Abdullahi, and Jamilu Abdullahi—were used as narration. However, I was not the one who made the cash deposits at the Lokoja branch,” he said.

The witness further identified Abba Adaudu as the depositor in transactions dated October 8 and 11, 2021, maintaining that all dealings were conducted directly with him.

“Abba Adaudu, my lord. In all these transactions, I dealt with Abba Adaudu,” he said.

Abdullahi disclosed that upon receiving the cash lodgment, he converted the naira sums into United States dollars and handed them over to Adaudu.

“I converted them into US dollars and handed them over to Abba Adaudu,” he said.

While examining Exhibit 37, relating to Kunfayakun Global Limited—his company—the witness confirmed receiving ₦100 million and ₦400 million on December 15 and 17, 2021 respectively, from a firm identified as Keyless Nature Limited, which he said belonged to Adaudu.

“The transfers were for dollar purchase. Upon receipt, we agreed on the rate, I converted the funds and handed the dollars over to Abba Adaudu,” he explained.

The witness further testified that on February 18, 2022, he received ₦600 million in six tranches into the account of Ejadams Essence Limited, also allegedly linked to Adaudu, for the purpose of purchasing dollars. Additionally, he confirmed receiving ₦325 million on February 21, 2022, via RTGS for the same purpose.

According to him, the physical handover of the dollars took place either at his office or that of Adaudu, located in Area 8, Abuja.

“What I can recall is that he always comes to my office to pick up the dollars, my lord,” he said.

Proceedings were, however, briefly stalled following an objection by defence counsel, J. B. Daudu SAN, who argued that the prosecution was attempting to contradict the witness without first declaring him hostile.

Yahaya Bello

“If the witness wants to contradict himself, he should be declared a hostile witness,” Daudu submitted.

In response, Pinheiro maintained that the witness had been consistent in his testimony, noting that his recollection of events spanning several years could not be construed as contradiction.

“The witness was very unequivocal and unambiguous… His statement reflects his recollection of transactions that occurred about five years ago,” he argued, citing relevant provisions of the Evidence Act.

After listening to arguments from both parties, Justice Nwite adjourned the matter till April 24, 2026, for ruling on the objection and continuation of trial.