EFCC Arraigns Six Over N55m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned six suspected fraudsters who impersonated the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Protocol, Inuwa Baba Lawal and Hon. Yusuf Galambi, a member of the House of Representatives.

They were arraigned on a 27- count charge for defrauding Mr. Ejike Hyginus Onyekaozulu, Managing Director of Ogotex Electrical Company Nigeria Limited to the tune of N55.1 million.

The suspects who were arraigned today before Justice Olasunbo Goodluck of the High Court of the FCT were: Abdulahi Abdulkadir Mainasara (alias Inuwa Baba Lawal); Musa Yakubu (alias Muhammed Lawal); Danyaro Chidawa ( alias Baba Yaro), Hadi M. Inuwa (alias Musa Adamu); Ibrahim Mohammed (alias Muazam Abdulkadir) and Mohammed Rabiu Lawan (alias Hon. Yusuf Galambi).

According to EFCC investigation, Mainasara, who is the alleged kingpin of the fraudulent gang allegedly hoodwinked Onyekaozulu into making him believe that the presidency is awarding a N1.5 billion transformer contract and as the Senior Special Assistant on Protocol to the President, he is in a better position to influence the award of the contract.

Onyekaozulu fell into the game and started paying money into different accounts provided by Mainasara.

The alleged 419 game started on April 2, 2008, when the victim was asked to pay N25,000 for the purchase of Contract Form and Registration of Business name under category ‘F’ at the State house Abuja.

Immediately thereafter, Onyekaozulu was also made to pay the sum of N275,000 on 2 April 2008, to facilitate and secure the award of the contract to Ogotex Electrical Company Nigeria Limited from the Federal Government.

Onyekaozulu continued making payments into the various bank accounts given to him by Mainasara for the purpose of “settlement” of Villa officials.

Between April 2, 2008 and May 28, 2009, he had lodged into the various accounts, the sum of N55.1 million.

One of the 27-count charge reads- “That you, Abdullahi Abdulkadir Mainasara (alias Inuwa Baba Lawal), Musa Yakubu (alias Muhammed Lawal), Danyaro Chidawa (alias Baba Yaro), Hadi M. Inuwa (alias Musa Adamu), Ibrahim Muhammed (alias Muazam Abdulkadir), Mohammed Rabiu Lawan (alias Hon. Yusuf Galambi), and others at large, on or about the 17th day of June, 2008 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal capital Territory, did with intent to defraud obtain the sum of N5 million from Ogotex Electrical Company Nigeria Limited through its Managing Director one Mr. Ejike Hyginus Onyekaozulu under the false pretence that the said sum would be used to facilitate and secure the award of contract to Ogotex Electrical Company Nigeria Limited from the Federal Government, which you knew is 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”.

After their arraignment, three of the suspects were granted administrative bail while the other three were remanded at Kuje Prisons.