EFCC Arraigns Suspects in Multiple Fraud Cases, Secures Court Dates Across Enugu, Abuja, Maiduguri  

By Joseph Sunday  

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has intensified its anti-corruption drive on July 1 and 2, 2026, with fresh arraignments and ongoing high-profile trials in Enugu, Abuja, and Maiduguri. 

A statement signed by Dele Oyewale, Head, Media & Publicity, EFCC, July 2, 2026, revealed that the cases involve sums ranging from N19 million to $6.2 billion and cover identity theft, forgery, alleged theft of CBN funds, the Mambilla Power Project contract fraud, and N1.5 billion money laundering.

Enugu: Alleged Identity Theft, Forgery, N19m Fraud:

The EFCC’s Enugu Zonal Directorate arraigned Mbah Chidinma Sophina before Justice F. O. Giwa-Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, Enugu, on three counts of possession of fraudulent documents, forgery, and identity theft.  

Prosecutors allege that between January 1 and April 30, 2026, Sophina possessed documents falsely identifying her as Florence-Gweh Togba Doaryenneh. A second count states that between October 1 and 25, 2023, she forged a Last Minute Healthcare card bearing the same name. She pleaded not guilty.  

ASE II Ahmad Yusuf Abdullahi requested a trial date and remand, while defence counsel M. I. Odo sought time to file for bail. Justice Giwa-Ogunbanjo remanded the defendant at the Nigerian Correctional Service, Enugu, and adjourned the matter to November 19, 2026.  

Sophina is also being prosecuted before Justice C. A. Ogbuabor of the Enugu State High Court on two counts of stealing and obtaining by false pretence involving N19,084,000. She was granted bail in that case, with trial set for September 18, 2026.  

According to the EFCC, she was arrested after a petitioner alleged she collected payment to procure a UK Certificate of Sponsorship but failed to deliver and subsequently blocked him. A search of her residence recovered an ID card bearing her photograph and the name Florence-Gweh Togba Doaryenneh.

Abuja: Emefiele Trial Hears Testimony on $6.23m ‘Theft’:

At the trial of former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele before Justice H. Muazu of the FCT High Court, Abuja, 14th Prosecution Witness Okpoziakpo Eloho, a Commissioner of Police, testified that $6,230,000 released by the CBN on Emefiele’s instruction for a “foreign election observer mission” was “pure theft.”  

“It was stolen, otherwise obtained under false pretence,” Eloho told the court, adding that about $800,000 had been recovered. He said Exhibit PD5, a purported presidential directive on the observer mission, was fraudulent and that the funds were released without due process.  

Under cross-examination by Mathew Burka, SAN, Eloho affirmed Emefiele had control over CBN funds. He said Jibril Abubakar collected the money but was not staff of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and that former SGF Boss Mustapha denied his signature on Exhibit PD6. The matter was adjourned to July 3, 2026.

Abuja: Agunloye Faces $6bn Mambilla Contract Charges:

In the trial of former Minister of Power Olu Agunloye before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the FCT High Court, Apo, Abuja, Fifth Prosecution Witness Iliya John Iyakwari affirmed that Exhibit EFCC 3D and Exhibit EFCC 3K are identical.  

Both exhibits contain extracts of Federal Executive Council minutes from May 21, 2003, on the 3,960MW Mambilla Hydro-Electric Power Project. Agunloye faces seven amended counts of official corruption and fraudulent award of the $6 billion contract to Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited.  

During re-examination by Abba Muhammed, SAN, Iyakwari confirmed the deliberations, resolutions, conclusions, and directives in both exhibits were verbatim the same. The case was adjourned to July 6, 2026.

Maiduguri: Shop Manager Re-Arraigned Over N1.5bn Diversion:

On Wednesday, July 1, 2026, the EFCC re-arraigned Abubakar Muhammad before Justice Shehu Umaru Adamu of the Federal High Court, Maiduguri, on 20 amended counts of money laundering and criminal misappropriation of N1,500,000,000.  

As Shop Manager at Aminami Global Ventures, Muhammad allegedly retained N1.5 billion belonging to Babagoni Ali Aminami between January 2021 and February 2026 by manipulating sales records and diverting funds to four personal accounts. He pleaded not guilty.  

Prosecution witnesses included Aminami, who said Muhammad abused his trust by directing customers to pay into personal accounts and obtaining goods on credit in Aminami’s name. Staff members Rhoda Yaro and Samuel Nwabisi also testified about diverted payments and blocked access to sales records.  

The case was adjourned to July 8, 2026. Muhammad was first arraigned on June 3, 2026, on two counts relating to Nestle goods worth N1.5 billion.

Abuja: Ngige’s N2.26bn NSITF Contract Trial Continues:

The trial of former Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige continued before Justice M.A. Hassan of the FCT High Court, Gwarimpa, Abuja. Ngige faces eight counts of abuse of office and fraudulent contract awards totaling N2,261,722,535.84.  

On Thursday, July 2, 2026, Third Prosecution Witness Onwusoro Maduka Iheamelam was cross-examined by P.I.N. Ikwueto, SAN. Prosecution counsel Sylvanu Tahir, SAN, opposed the tendering of defence documents, citing Section 104 of the Evidence Act 2011 for lack of certification.  

Iheamelam said he served on the panel that investigated the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, and confirmed that Zitacom Nigeria Limited and Shale Atlantic Intercontinental Services Limited received NSITF contracts. He added there may have been “behind-the-scenes interference” in the panel’s work.  

Justice Hassan adjourned ruling on the admissibility of the documents to October 14, with continuation of cross-examination set for November 11 and 12, 2026.

Summary of Court Dates:

• Mbah Chidinma Sophina: November 19, 2026 – FHC Enugu; September 18, 2026 – State High Court Enugu  

• Godwin Emefiele: July 3, 2026 – FCT High Court, Abuja 

• Olu Agunloye: July 6, 2026 – FCT High Court, Apo, Abuja 

• Abubakar Muhammad: July 8, 2026 – FHC Maiduguri   

• Chris Ngige: October 14; November 11-12, 2026 – FCT High Court, Gwarimpa, Abuja