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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned six persons and two companies before separate courts in Abuja over alleged cybercrime, false information, land fraud and obtaining money by false pretence involving more than N1.02 billion.
The defendants were arraigned in three separate cases before the Federal High Court and the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
At the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, August 20, 2026, the EFCC arraigned Maryam Isah Shehu and Abubakar Shuraim Abdulhamad before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik over alleged cybercrime and attempts to tarnish the image of the commission.
Shehu was arraigned on an amended one-count charge bordering on cybercrime and wilful character assassination of the EFCC through her Instagram account, @maryamshehu.
The commission alleged that on June 21, 2026, in Abuja, Shehu published a message claiming that EFCC officials assaulted one Ahmed Uthman on the instruction of a zonal director who allegedly collected N20 million from one Usman Iya Abbas. The EFCC Spokesman Dele Oyewale, said the publication was intended to tarnish its reputation and contravened Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.
Abdulhamad, on his part, was arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on cybercrime and alleged criminal fabrication of the identity of the EFCC.
The commission alleged that in May 2026, Abdulhamad used his X account, @shuraimi, to publish a fabricated image resembling an official EFCC arrest placard, depicting one Sadeeq Kabeer as a suspect arrested by the commission.
The image reportedly carried the inscription: “His only crime was selling laptops at affordable price to student.”
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecution counsel, Elizabeth Alabi, subsequently asked the court to grant a trial date and remand Shehu in a correctional facility.
Counsel to Shehu, C.O. Amalaha, informed the court of her bail application and urged the judge to admit her client to bail on liberal terms.
Counsel to Abdulhamad, Adamu K. Adamu, also informed the court of his bail application but prayed that his client be remanded in EFCC custody.
Justice Abdulmalik ordered that Shehu be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre, Niger State, while Abdulhamad was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
The judge adjourned the matter until August 31, 2026, for hearing of the bail applications and commencement of trial.
In another case, the EFCC Abuja Zonal Directorate arraigned three alleged land grabbers and two companies before Justice Ngozika C. Nwabulu of the FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on August 18, 2026.
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The defendants are Paul Olufemi Ogunlana, Olaniyi Rufai, Dauda Bashir, Unified Luxury Homes Limited and Utopian Planning Ltd.
They were accused of defrauding Lucky U. Odigie of N23 million after allegedly presenting themselves as owners of a parcel of land and obtaining payment from him for its purchase.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly approached Odigie with a Power of Attorney to sell a 2.2-hectare parcel of land at Gausa District, off Airport Road, Abuja, which later turned out to be false.
The defendants were arraigned on two counts bordering on conspiracy, stealing by conversion and obtaining money by false pretence.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following applications by their respective defence counsel, Justice Nwabulu admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N500,000 each, with one surety each in like sum.
The judge stipulated that the sureties must be civil servants not below Grade Level 12 and adjourned the case until September 22, 2026, for commencement of trial.
Meanwhile, the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 also arraigned the Chief Executive Officer of Brookfield Group Holdings, Olatunji Oluwaseun Adebola, also known as Whitelion, before Justice C. Ngozi of the FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja, over an alleged N990 million fraud.
Adebola and his company, Brookfield Mining Limited, were arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence and dishonest misappropriation of funds.
The arraignment followed a petition dated April 6, 2026, submitted through legal counsel, BB Dan Habu & Co. Solicitors, Oyewale said.
According to Oyewale, the petition alleged that the defendants obtained N990 million from the complainant under the guise of facilitating a foreign exchange transaction worth $750,000.
Adebola pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecution counsel, Oluwakemi Yemi-Makinde, asked the court for a trial date and the remand of the defendant in a correctional facility, while defence counsel informed the court of a pending bail application.
Justice Ngozi granted bail to the defendant subject to the production of two sureties, one of whom must be a civil servant on Grade Level 15, while the other must be a civil servant who owns landed property in Abuja.
The court adjourned the case until September 15, 2026.
