Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court has ordered the remand of Ibrahim Nuhu Shuaibu in connection with an alleged N100 million fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a statement via its official X page on Monday, revealed that Mr. Shuaibu was arraigned by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the anti-graft agency.
The EFCC further disclosed that Mr. Shuaibu is facing a seven-count charge, including criminal breach of trust, impersonation, and obtaining N100 million under false pretenses.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Nuhu Ibrahim Shuaibu (a.k.a Ishaku Abdulrazak) (M) and Ilya Garba (now deceased), sometime in 2017, in Kaduna within the judicial division of this honorable court, did conspire between yourselves to do an illegal act, to wit: obtaining money under false pretenses and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Another charge states: “That you, Nuhu Ibrahim Shuaibu (a.k.a Ishaku Abdulrazak) (M), sometime in 2018 at Kaduna within the judicial division of this honorable court, with intent to defraud, obtained the total sum of N47,050,000.00 (Forty-Seven Million and Fifty Thousand Naira) from one Faisal Safiyanu, when you claimed to supply him petroleum products, which pretense 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.”
Mr. Shuaibu, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges when they were read to him. Following his plea, the prosecution counsel, M. Lawal, urged the court to set a trial date.
Mr. Shuaibu’s attorney, AbdulKareem Audu, did not file a bail application.
According to the EFCC, Mr. Shuaibu’s prosecution began in 2017 when he falsely presented himself as the Group Executive Director of the NNPCL. The anti-graft agency stated that he promised his victim assistance in procuring over 2,000 litres of petroleum products but failed to fulfill the deal or refund the victim’s money.
Additionally, the EFCC announced that Justice Khobo convicted and sentenced Nathaniel David Akogun, a.k.a T.D. Jakes Official, and Samuel Oduma, a.k.a Louis Tomlinson, to prison for internet fraud. The agency noted that the duo was prosecuted on separate one-count charges each, related to internet fraud, impersonation, and intent to defraud by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.
The charge against Oduma reads: “That you, Samuel Oduma (a.k.a Louis Tomlinson), sometime in January 2023, in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, impersonated one Louis Tomlinson from the United Kingdom on Instagram by presenting yourself as a celebrity with intent to defraud unsuspecting persons. In such an assumed character, you committed impersonation, an offence contrary to Section 142(1) of the Penal Code Law, 2017, of Kaduna State and punishable under the same law.”
Akogun’s charge reads: “That you, Nathaniel David Akogun (a.k.a T.D. Jakes Official), on or about the 11th of August 2024 at Rabah Road, Badarawa, Kaduna State, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, impersonated one T.D. Jakes Official on Facebook (an online social media platform) and in such an assumed character posed as a foreigner interested in online dating to unsuspecting members of the public. You thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.”
Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them. Upon their guilty pleas, the prosecution counsel, M.U. Gadaka, urged the court to convict and sentence them.
Justice Khobo sentenced Oduma to three years in prison, with the option of a N400,000 fine. His iPhone 11 Pro was ordered forfeited to the government.
Similarly, Akogun received a one-year prison sentence and a N350,000 fine. His iPhone 7 Plus and Huawei P30 Lite were also forfeited to the government.
Both fraudsters were convicted after being prosecuted by the EFCC for internet fraud, with the court finding them guilty and sentencing them accordingly.
