EFCC Arraigns Former Kaduna Contractor for Alleged ₦37.3m Fraud and Money Laundering
The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Bashir Bello Ibrahim, a former Kaduna State government contractor and Chief Executive Officer of Formal Act Legacy Limited, before Justice A. M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Kaduna, on allegations of fraud.
Mr. Ibrahim was docked on a seven-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, advance fee fraud, and money laundering.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Bashir Ibrahim Bello (being Managing Director of Formal Act Legacy Limited) and Formal Act Legacy Limited, sometime in July 2024 at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, conspired between yourselves to commit a felony, to wit: obtaining the sum of ₦37,300,000 (Thirty-Seven Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira) under false pretence, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Another count alleges conspiracy to commit money laundering, contrary to Section 21(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 18(3) & (4) of the same Act.
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to all charges.
Following the plea, prosecuting counsel Fortune Amina I. Asemebo requested a trial date.
Defence counsel M. T. Mohammed applied for bail on behalf of the defendant.
The court, however, deferred consideration of the bail application.
Justice Aikawa consequently ordered the remand of the defendant in a Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his bail application.
The petitioner alleged that in 2024, he was introduced to the defendant by three individuals—Josephine Washima, Mamuda Nyelong, and Nalara Tanimu—who presented themselves as contract facilitators.
They allegedly convinced him that Mr. Ibrahim, acting as a supposed United Nations Sub-African Regional Coordinator, could award contracts for the construction of solar-powered boreholes across the North-East.
– The petitioner claimed he paid over ₦37.3 million as a “facilitation fee” into the account of Washima.
– He was issued five letters of award for the drilling of 20 solar-powered boreholes.
– He executed one slot of the purported contract (four boreholes in Bauchi State) but was never paid.
– He later discovered the contracts were fraudulent and petitioned the EFCC.
This case underscores the EFCC’s continuing efforts to combat advance fee fraud and money laundering in Nigeria, while also highlighting the risks posed by fraudulent contract facilitation schemes.
The matter has been adjourned for further proceedings, with the defendant to remain in custody pending determination of his bail application.
