The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, February 9th, arraigned Gidado Ibrahim and Adenike Tejuosho before the federal capital
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, February 9th, arraigned Gidado Ibrahim and Adenike Tejuosho before the federal capital territory high court in Abuja, over a ₦603 million Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) job scam.
The defendants were brought before Justice H. Muazu on a six-count amended charge, bordering on fraud, obtaining money under false pretences, and forgery.
During proceedings, prosecution counsel Y. Tarfa drew the court’s attention to the amended charges and urged the court to allow the defendants to enter their pleas.
According to the first count, Gidado and Tejuosho, who is currently at large, obtained the sum of ₦603.4 million from Oluseye Yomi-Sholoye between August and October 2024 by falsely promising to facilitate her appointment as the group managing director of NNPC.
The offence is said to contravene section 1(a) of the advance fee fraud and other fraud related offences act, 2006, and is punishable under section 1(3) of the same act.
The second count charges Gidado with using a forged document originating from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) at the presidential villa in Abuja in August 2024, which contravenes section 366 of the penal code law and is punishable under section 364.
When the charges were read, Gidado pleaded not guilty to all six counts.
Following the plea, EFCC counsel requested the court to set a trial date and remand the defendant in a correctional facility.
The defendant’s lawyer, B. B. Alhaji, informed the court of an ongoing bail application, noting that although the application was not yet ripe for hearing, the defendant should be remanded in EFCC custody, considering his health status.
Justice Muazu subsequently ordered that the defendant be remanded in Kuje correctional facility and adjourned the matter to February 17 for hearing of the bail application.
