The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday arraigned an Information and Communication Technology consultant, Umar Abdullahi, over alleged offences of obtaining money by false pretence and laundering funds amounting to N131.8 million and $200,000.
Abdullahi, aged 48, appeared before a vacation judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, at the Federal High Court, Central Area, Abuja, on a four-count charge of money laundering and obtaining by false pretence.
His prosecution followed a petition filed by Alhaji Shehu Badamosi at the EFCC’s Ilorin Zonal Office, alleging fraud and breach of trust. The petitioner claimed the defendant had presented himself as having secured a contract with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and solicited funds totalling N131.8 million and $200,000 for its execution. However, after receiving the money, Abdullahi allegedly failed to provide any progress updates, while repeated efforts to recover the funds proved futile.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Umar Abdullahi, sometime between July 2024 and August 2024, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Court, did accept and transact cash payment of $200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Dollars) for allotment of shares in Multi Access Controls Limited, in excess of the Ten Million Naira threshold, without transacting through a financial institution, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 2 (1) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19 (2) (b) of the same Act.”
Another count states: “That you, Umar Abdullahi, sometime in June 2024, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N104,980,000 (One Hundred and Four Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira) into Account Number: 2266267081, domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc, from Aura Integrated Energy Resources Limited under the false pretence that the money was for procurement of telecommunication equipment and logistics for Nigerian Communications Commission staff, a pretence you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
Abdullahi pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel, Cosmas Ugwu, asked the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility pending trial, noting that Abdullahi had earlier jumped administrative bail granted by the Commission. Defence counsel, A. O. Agbonlahor, countered by requesting that the defendant be kept in EFCC custody until the trial commenced.
Justice Nwite, in a bench ruling, ordered Abdullahi’s remand at the Kuje Correctional Service and adjourned the matter until 8 September 2025 for trial.
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