Fraudster dupes Army General of N180m

A retired Nigerian Army Major General, Geoffrey Ejiga, has lost over
N180 million to a fraud syndicate.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday
arraigned Mohammed Sanni Zubair, the alleged leader of the syndicate,
before Justice Ijeoma L. Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, sitting in
Maitama, Abuja, on a four-count charge of fraud.

Zubair, who was described as a serial fraudster, when the children of
Major General Geoffrey Ejiga (retd.) petitioned EFCC, had been
arrested by the operatives of the EFCC in 2016 for a fraud-related
offence.

He then confessed to the crime, saying he acted under the instruction
of one Johnson Abiodun, whose real name was Nuhu Kasim.

But in the course of investigation, Kasim was arrested in Kano, and it
was discovered that the information given by the defendant against
him, was completely false.

One of the counts reads: "That you, Mohammed Sanni Zubair on or about
October 2016, in Abuja, within the Abuja Judicial Division of the
Federal High Court of Nigeria, did make a statement to Naziru Aminu
Shehu, an officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in
the course of the exercise of the duties of his office, contained in
your written statement dated 28th October, 2016, which you knew to be
false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable
under Section 39 (2) (a) and (b) of Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004."

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the counts preferred against him.

In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Fatsuma Mohammed, prayed
the court for a trial date to enable the prosecution to prove its
case.

But, counsel to the defendant, Joe Agi, SAN, informed the court of the
defendant's application for bail, which he said was filed and served
on the prosecution shortly before the court started sitting.

Justice Ojukwu, thereafter, adjourned to October 26, 30 and 31 for
hearing on motion for bail and trial. The court also ordered that the
defendant should continue with the administrative bail earlier granted
him by the Commission.