Appeal court upholds conviction of Ex-Army General as EFCC arraigns four over N95m fraud in Lagos

From Sola Ojo, Abuja

The Court of Appeal has affirmed the conviction and sentence of former Group Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), Major-General Umar Mohammed, over the theft and misappropriation of N1.65 billion and $2.09 million belonging to the company.

A three-member panel of the appellate court comprising Justices Abba Mohammed, Okon Abang and Eberechi Nyesom delivered a unanimous judgment dismissing Mohammed’s appeal against the ruling of a Special Court Martial that had earlier convicted him.

The Special Court Martial, on October 10, 2023, found Mohammed guilty of stealing and the criminal misappropriation of funds belonging to NAPL and sentenced him to a term of imprisonment.

The tribunal also ordered him to refund $2,099,700 and N1.65 billion to the company.
Dissatisfied with the verdict, the former army general approached the Court of Appeal, arguing that the conviction was not supported by credible evidence and also challenging the authority of the Special Court Martial to try him.

However, in its judgment on Monday, the appellate court upheld the decision of the military tribunal, ruling that the court-martial acted within its powers and that the conviction was supported by sufficient evidence.
The court also highlighted contradictions in Mohammed’s testimony, particularly his claim that NAPL never operated berthing services, which conflicted with documentary records showing that the company had engaged in such operations.
The justices consequently affirmed the conviction and sentence on all counts except those relating to forgery.
In a related development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier secured the final forfeiture of shares valued at more than N5 billion linked to Mohammed.
Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos in August 2025 ordered the permanent forfeiture of 245,568,137 shares traced to Mohammed and a businessman, Kayode Filani, after the EFCC established that the assets were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities during Mohammed’s tenure as head of the army’s property company.
Meanwhile, the EFCC has arraigned four suspects before different judges of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja over alleged fraud and theft involving more than N95 million.
The suspects, Adetunji Mathew, Victor Damilare Olaomo, Douglas Agorom Ikwugwu and Arowolo Adeniyi Abiodun were arraigned on separate five-count charges bordering on conspiracy, stealing and retention of proceeds of crime.

Mathew and Olaomo were arraigned before Justice O. A. Okunuga on charges of conspiracy to commit felony and stealing to the tune of N91,749,230, contrary to Sections 409 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

According to the EFCC, Mathew, who was an accountant with God’s Touch Apartment and Hotels, allegedly converted N64,764,830 belonging to the establishment to his personal use between 2024 and 2025.
Olaomo, also an accountant with the hotel, was accused of diverting N26,082,400 within the same period.
The other two defendants, Ikwugwu and Abiodun, were arraigned before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja on charges of conspiracy, stealing and retention of proceeds of crime.

The EFCC alleged that Ikwugwu, a duty manager at God’s Touch Apartment Hotel, stole N1,966,000 in June 2025, while Abiodun, the hotel’s auditor, allegedly converted N1,500,000 belonging to the establishment to personal use within the same period.
All four defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
Following their pleas, prosecuting counsel B. M. Isah and U. S. Kyari asked the court for trial dates and urged that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility pending trial.
Justice Okunuga subsequently ordered that Mathew and Olaomo be remanded in a correctional facility and adjourned the matter till March 17, 2026, for the hearing of Mathew’s bail application.

Justice Abike-Fadipe, on her part, adjourned the case involving Ikwugwu and Abiodun till March 16, 2026, for the hearing of their bail application and May 20, 2026 for the commencement of trial.