On Tuesday, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Zuba, Abuja, remanded Danjuma Mohammed, the former National Coordinator of the Multi- Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) under the North East Development Commission (NEDC), over allegations of defrauding a businessman of more than N2.2 billion.
Judge Keziah Ogbonnaya issued the remand order after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought him before the court.
Mohammed was arraigned alongside Prince Achem and Aminu Alhaji, the latter of whom is reportedly at large. Together, they face 54 charges, which include conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, and forgery. According to allegations from the EFCC, these offences were committed between 2022 and 2024.
Both defendants present in court entered a plea of not guilty to the charges laid against them. Following their plea, EFCC prosecutor Adeola Olanrewaju requested a trial date and urged that the defendants be held at the Kuje Correctional Centre until the case is resolved.
In response, the defence lawyer Chukwuka Obidike noted that a bail application for his clients had already been submitted. However, Olanrewaju opposed an immediate hearing of the bail application, stating that the prosecution had only been served the previous evening and required time to file a counter- affidavit.
Judge Ogbonnaya consented to the prosecution's request for time to respond, emphasizing the need for a fair process. Consequently, he ordered that the accused remain at the Suleja Correctional Centre until the bail application is heard and the trial begins, which is scheduled for March 25.
The EFCC claims the defendants fraudulently obtained a total of N2.28 billion from Kenneth Ejiofor Ifekudu, who is the managing director of Diamond Leeds Limited. They allegedly misrepresented their ability to facilitate the awarding and execution of contracts related to the NEDC’s Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery and Stability Programme (NERSP).
One of the charges specifies that between May 2022 and February 2024, the defendants conspired to defraud Ifekudu under false pretenses, violating Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006. Furthermore, another count against them claims they received N573.5 million through a Wema Bank account operated by Achem, falsely asserting they could award contracts to Ifekudu's companies—allegations which the EFCC states were made with full knowledge of their inaccuracy.
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