At the commencement of proceedings, prosecution counsel, Adeola Olarenwaju, informed the court that the original charge filed on December 3, 2025, had been amended.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, arraigned a former National Coordinator of the Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Alhaji Danjuma Mohammed, alongside Prince Chibuike Echem and Aminu Alhaji, who is currently at large, over an alleged N2.28 billion fraud.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice K. N. Ogbonnaya of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Zuba, Abuja, on a 54-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence and forgery.
According to the EFCC, the alleged offences were committed between May 2022 and February 2024 and involved the purported fraudulent collection of funds from a contractor under the guise of awarding and executing contracts linked to the NEDC’s Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery and Stability Programme.
At the commencement of proceedings, prosecution counsel, Adeola Olarenwaju, informed the court that the original charge filed on December 3, 2025, had been amended.
He sought the court’s permission to substitute it with a 54-count amended charge dated January 22, 2026, while relying on the proof of evidence attached to the amended information.
The court granted the prosecution’s application.
Prosecutors allege that Mohammed conspired with Prince Echem and one Aminu Alhaji (currently at large) to defraud a private firm of over ₦2.28 billion.
According to the charge, the alleged conspiracy occurred between May 2022 and February 2024 in Abuja, during which the defendants are accused of obtaining money from Diamond Leeds Limited and its Managing Director, Kenneth Ejiofor Ifekudu, under false pretences.
The prosecution claims the defendants falsely represented that they had the authority to award and execute contracts under the Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery and Stability Programme (NERSP) of the NEDC.
In a separate count, prosecutors allege that between January and December 2023, the defendants fraudulently obtained ₦573.5 million from the same complainant. The funds were allegedly paid through a Wema Bank account belonging to Prince Chibuike Echem, based on the false claim that the defendants could award and execute NEDC contracts.
The charges are brought under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, which criminalises obtaining money by false pretences and conspiracy to commit fraud.
When the charges were read to them, Alhaji Mohammed and Prince Echem pleaded not guilty to all the counts. Aminu Alhaji remains at large.
Following the plea, Olarenwaju urged the court to fix a date for trial and requested that the defendants be remanded in custody pending the determination of the case, to enable the prosecution to prove its case.
However, counsel to the defendants informed the court of a pending application for bail filed on behalf of the accused persons.
Responding, the prosecution counsel opposed an immediate hearing of the bail application, noting that it was only recently served on the EFCC.
“My lord, it is true that the defence served us with their motion for bail, which is not ripe for hearing,” Olarenwaju said.
“The motion for bail was only served on us yesterday at about 4:30pm, which I was only opportune to see this morning, and we have reasons to object to this application. I pray the court for an opportunity to reply to it.”
In his ruling, Justice Ogbonnaya held that the prosecution should be given adequate time to respond to the bail application in the interest of justice.
“Taking into consideration all sundries and in the interest of justice, I will allow the prosecution to reply,” the judge ruled.
“The defendants will be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre pending trial.”
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to March 25, 2026, for the commencement of trial.