The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two suspects for allegedly obtaining the sum of N603.4 million from one Oluseye Yomi-Sholoye to facilitate her appointment as the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
The suspects are Gidado Ibrahim and Halimat Adenike Tejusho, who is currently at large.
They were arraigned on Monday at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court in Maitama on an amended six count-charge bordering on fraud and obtaining by false pretence.
The suspects were accused of allegedly forging a document with the letter titled: ‘Presidential Villa State House, OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER.’
“That you GIDADO IBRAHIM and HALIMAT ADENIKE TEJUSHO O (now at large) between August 2024 to October 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court obtained the sum of N603, 400,000.00. (Six Hundred and Three Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) from OLUSEYE YOMI-SHOLOYE under the false pretence that you will facilitate her appointment as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act,” part of the charge sheet reads.
“That you, GIDADO IBRAHIM sometime in August, 2024 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court did use as genuine a forged document titled ‘Presidential Villa State House, OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER’ when you knew or had reason to believe it to be forged and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 366 of the Penal Code Law and Punishable under Section 364 of the same Law.”
Ibrahim pleaded not guilty to the charges.
After the not guilty plea, Y. Tarfa, the prosecution counsel, asked the court for a trial date and prayed that the defendant be remanded in the correctional centre.
B. B. Alhaji, counsel to Ibrahim, appealed to the court to remand his client in EFCC custody over his health status pending the ruling of the bail application.
H. Muazu, the trial judge, adjourned the matter to February 17, 2026 for hearing of the application
The judge thereafter ordered the remand of the defendant in Kuje correctional facility.
