In a stunning crackdown, the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC has arrested Bashir Bello Ibrahim, a former government contractor and CEO of Formal Act Legacy Limited, over a jaw-dropping alleged fraud amounting to a staggering N30 billion.
Though his contract with Kaduna State was officially terminated, Ibrahim is accused of deceiving over 251 victims by posing as a government consultant for all 23 local government areas and the United Charity Foundation (UCF), linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) office.
According to the EFCC in a statement issued by its spokesman, Dele Oyewale, Ibrahim reportedly claimed he held a 2020 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government to secure intervention grants from global donors for critical LGA projects and SDG initiatives.
However, EFCC said investigations revealed his MoU was scrapped in October 2023 due to his failure to meet terms.
Defying termination, Ibrahim allegedly orchestrated a massive scheme involving unauthorized awarding of fake contracts worth around N30 billion.
Victims were lured into supplying materials for hospitals, boreholes, beds, drugs, and vaccines, which Ibrahim purportedly received on behalf of the government—only to sell some items and divert proceeds for personal gain.
Further investigations uncovered that Ibrahim warehoused supplies without informing LGAs, withheld payments to contractors, and sold contract award letters through proxies while altering contract terms unilaterally.
Seized items from Ibrahim’s hideout include Toyota Hilux pickups, ambulances, buses, motorcycles, stockpiles of drugs and vaccines, hospital beds, mattresses, and heavy-duty generators. His office also housed vast quantities of medical consumables such as gloves, syringes, tablets, and ointments.
The EFCC is working closely with NAFDAC and Kaduna State Ministry of Health to examine the seized medicines. Preliminary findings from Umar Ahmad Suleiman of NAFDAC revealed some drugs are counterfeit, expired, or produced by unregistered manufacturers. Kaduna State’s Health Ministry pharmacist, Abubakar Isa Balarabe, condemned the poor storage conditions, labeling the warehouse unfit for medical supplies.
