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 one Aminu Alhaji, who is currently at large, over an alleged ₦2.28 billion fraud.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice K. N. Ogbonnaya of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Zuba, Abuja, on a 54-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money 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 pretext of awarding and executing contracts linked to the NEDC’s Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery and Stability Programme, also known as NERSP.
At the start of the proceedings, prosecution counsel, Adeola Olarenwaju, informed the court that the original charge filed on December 3, 2025, had been amended following further investigations by the anti-graft agency. He sought the court’s leave to substitute the original charge with a 54-count amended charge dated January 22, 2026, relying on the proof of evidence attached to the amended information.
Justice Ogbonnaya granted the application, paving the way for the arraignment to proceed on the amended charge.
The EFCC alleges that Alhaji Mohammed conspired with Prince Chibuike Echem and Aminu Alhaji, who is currently on the run, to defraud a private firm of more than ₦2.28 billion. The prosecution claims that the alleged conspiracy took place in Abuja between May 2022 and February 2024.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants are accused of obtaining large sums of money from Diamond Leeds Limited and its Managing Director, Kenneth Ejiofor Ifekudu, by falsely representing that they had the authority and capacity to award and execute contracts under the NEDC’s Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery and Stability Programme.
The prosecution further alleged that the defendants used their purported influence within the NEDC to convince the complainant that the contracts were genuine and had been duly approved, thereby inducing the transfer of funds.
In one of the counts, the EFCC alleged that between January and December 2023, the defendants fraudulently obtained ₦573.5 million from the complainant. The funds were allegedly paid into a Wema Bank account belonging to Prince Chibuike Echem, based on the false claim that the defendants were in a position to facilitate the award and execution of NEDC contracts.
The charges were brought pursuant to the provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, which criminalises conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, and other related financial crimes.
When the amended charges were read in open court, Alhaji Mohammed and Prince Echem pleaded not guilty to all the counts. Aminu Alhaji, who was listed as the third defendant, was absent from court and is said to be at large.
Following the plea, the prosecution urged the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial and requested that the defendants be remanded in custody pending the determination of the case. Olarenwaju told the court that the prosecution was ready to prove its case and present evidence to establish the alleged offences against the defendants.
However, counsel to the defendants informed the court that an application for bail had already been filed on behalf of the accused persons and urged the court to hear the application.
Responding, the prosecution opposed an immediate hearing of the bail application, noting that the motion had only been recently served on the EFCC. Olarenwaju told the court that the prosecution required adequate time to study the application and file a formal response.
“My lord, it is true that the defence served us with their motion for bail, which is not ripe for hearing,” he said.
“The motion for bail was only served on us yesterday at about 4:30 p.m., which I was only able to see this morning. We have reasons to object to the application, and we respectfully pray the court for an opportunity to respond.”
In his ruling, Justice Ogbonnaya agreed with the prosecution, holding that the interests of justice required that the EFCC be given sufficient time to reply to the bail application.
“Taking into consideration all the circumstances and in the interest of justice, I will allow the prosecution to respond to the bail application,” the judge ruled.
He subsequently ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of the bail application and the commencement of trial.
The court adjourned the matter to March 25, 2026, for the commencement of trial, as the EFCC prepares to call witnesses and present evidence in support of its case.
The arraignment underscores the EFCC’s continued focus on alleged financial crimes linked to public institutions and donor-funded intervention programmes, particularly in regions recovering from conflict and humanitarian crises.
