EFCC arraigns four for N44m contract fraud in Maiduguri

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned four people on Tuesday for an alleged N44.7 million contract scam in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The defendants consist of two females and two men. The women are Ruth Emmanuel and Esther Gabari, while the men are Ibrahim Hyelni and Gbenga Obanewo.

EFCC brought them before trial judge Muhammad Maina of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri to face eight counts, including conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, criminal misappropriation, forgery and use of false documents.

A statement from EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale on Tuesday said the four defendants conspired among themselves in December 2025 and fraudulently took N44.7 million from a man, Ali Abatcha, for purported execution of a contract.

The relationship between the defendants and Mr Abatcha and the nature of the contract were not disclosed in the statement.

However, the commission stated that the defendants took the money from Mr Abatcha through Mr Hyelni’s Guaranty Trust Bank, under the false pretence that the money was for the execution of a purported contract awarded by Global Health and Social Awareness (Ghasa) Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, to Ruhemd Global Enterprises.

The commission stated that the defendants knowingly misrepresented the purpose of the funds, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 1(1) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all eight counts.

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Following their not-guilty plea, prosecution lawyer S.O. Saka asked the court to fix a date for trial and detain the defendants in a correctional centre.

But a defence lawyer representing the first and the second defendants, B. Balama, urged the court to grant bail to the first defendant, Ms Emmanuel, on health grounds.

The judge granted Ms Emmanuel bail at N50 million with two sureties who must be resident in Maiduguri. He added that one of the sureties must submit a title document worth N50 million to the court’s registrar.

The judge adjourned the case until 4 November for the start of trial and ordered the defendants to be held in the correctional centre till then.

The defendants were arrested for allegedly conspiring and collecting an aggregate sum of N44.7 million from their victim for the execution of a purported contract awarded by Global Health and Social Awareness (GHASA) Foundation, a representation the commission said was false.