A couple, Baba Sule Abubakar Sadiq and Hafsat Kabir Lawal, along with two accomplices, Abdullahi Bala and Ladani Akindele, have been arraigned before Justice Amina Bello of the Kaduna State High Court on charges of fraud, money laundering, and stealing totaling N197,750,000.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought the defendants before the court on Monday, March 9, 2025, on a six-count charge.

They are accused of conspiring to defraud victims by impersonating the wife of the Katsina State Governor, Fatima Dikko Radda, and offering fake foreign exchange deals.

According to the EFCC, Hafsat Kabir Lawal allegedly posed as the Katsina First Lady to lure victims into fraudulent currency exchange transactions.

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Using SIM cards registered under the name “Fatima Dikko Radda” on True Caller, she reportedly contacted a bureau de change operator, Aminu Usman, and convinced him to transfer N89 million in exchange for $53,300.

Investigators further revealed that another victim was defrauded of N108 million under a similar scheme involving a supposed exchange of $118,300.

The funds were allegedly deposited into the bank account of the third defendant, Abdullahi Bala, before being laundered and shared among the conspirators.

Hafsat’s husband, Sadiq, is accused of providing the SIM cards used in the fraud. He allegedly enlisted the help of Ladani Akindele, a former bank colleague, to secure the contact details of Unity Bank Chairman Hafiz Bashir. The contact was then used to gain the trust of the victims.

When the charges were read, all four defendants pleaded not guilty. Prosecution counsel Bright C. Ogbonna requested a trial date and urged the court to remand them in a correctional facility.

Defense counsels, led by M.S. Katu (SAN), argued for bail, stating they had already filed applications.

However, the prosecution opposed the requests, stating that the applications were not yet ready for hearing. When the defense requested an oral bail application, Justice Bello ruled in favor of the prosecution and ordered the defendants to remain in custody.

The case was adjourned to March 17, 2025, for the hearing of bail applications.

The suspects were initially arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) before being handed over to the EFCC when the case was determined to be financial in nature.

The EFCC has vowed to ensure that justice is served in the case, emphasizing the need for vigilance against fraudulent schemes involving high-profile impersonation.

With the rise of fraudulent investment schemes preying on unsuspecting Nigerians, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a strong warning about the activities of 58 unregistered companies defrauding citizens under the guise of investment opportunities.

In a statement on Tuesday, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, revealed that these companies operate without approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), making their activities illegal.

The anti-graft agency disclosed that legal action has already been taken against several of these entities, with five convictions secured and another five suspects pleading guilty while awaiting further judicial proceedings.

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Many more cases are still pending arraignment.

“To protect Nigerians from financial exploitation, the EFCC is drawing public attention to 58 companies masquerading as investment firms but deceiving innocent investors,” the statement read.

According to the EFCC, the following companies have been identified as fraudulent investment platforms: Wales Kingdom Capital, Bethseida Group of Companies, AQM Capital Limited, Titan Multibusiness Investment Limited, Brickwall Global Investment Limited, Farmforte Limited & Agro Partnership Tech, Green Eagles Agribusiness Solution Limited, Richfield Multiconcepts Limited, Forte Asset Management Limited, Biss Networks Nigeria Limited, S Mobile Netzone Limited, Pristine Mobile Network, Letsfarm Integrated Services, Bara Finance & Investment Limited, Vicampro Farms Limited, Brooks Network Limited, Gas Station Supply Services Limited,  Brass & Books Limited,

Others includes; Annexation Biz Concept & Maitanbuwal Global Ventures, Crowdyvest Limited, Jadek Agro Connect Limited, Adeeva Capital Limited, Oxford International Group & Oxford Gold Integrated, Skapomah Global Limited, MBA Trading & Capital Investment Limited, TRJ Company Limited, Farm4Me Agriculture Limited, Quintessential Investment Company,  Adeprinz Global Enterprises, Rockstar Establishment Limited, SU.Global Investment, Citi Trust Funding PLC, Farm Buddy, Eatrich 369 Farms & Food, Globertrot Farmsponsors Nigeria Limited, Farm Sponsors Limited, Cititrust Credit Limited, Farmfunded Agroservices Limited, Adamakin Investment & Works Limited, Cititrust Holding PLC, Green Eagles Agribusiness Solutions Limited, Chinmark Homes & Shelters Limited, Emerald Farms & Consultant Limited, Ovaioza Farm Produce Storage Limited,

Additionally, Farm 360 & Agriculture Company, Requid Technologies Limited, West Agro Agriculture & Food Processing Limited, NISL Ventures Limited & Estate of Laolu Martins, XY Connect Investment Limited, River Branch Unique Investment Limited, Hallmark Capital Limited, CJC Markets Limited, Crowd One Investment, Farmkart Foods Limited, KD Likemind Stakeholders Limited, Holibiz Finance Limited, Ifeanyi Okpe Oil & Gas Services, Servapps Nigeria Limited were also listed.

The EFCC warned that these firms lure investors with promises of unrealistic returns, only to defraud them.

Nigerians were urged to verify investment opportunities with the CBN and SEC before committing funds.

The commission also encouraged victims of these schemes to come forward with complaints, assuring them that efforts were ongoing to recover lost funds where possible.

“The EFCC remains committed to creating a safe and corruption-free financial environment. We strongly advise the public to conduct due diligence before investing in any financial scheme,” the statement concluded.

In a significant development, the Federal High Court in Abuja has reassigned the case of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to a new judge.

This comes after months of legal battles over the handling of his trial.

The decision follows persistent demands from Kanu’s legal team for a change in judicial oversight, citing concerns over bias.

Justice Binta Nyako, who had presided over the case, stepped down in September 2024 after Kanu objected to her continued involvement.

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Despite initial resistance from the judiciary, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, has now approved the reassignment.

Kanu’s lawyer, Alloy Ejimakor, confirmed the development, revealing that they received official communication from both the Chief Judge and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

“Yesterday (Friday), we received two official letters. One was from the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), responding to our request for administrative intervention, while the other was from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, informing us that the case has been reassigned,” Ejimakor stated.

He also reiterated Kanu’s readiness to defend himself, emphasizing that the delays had infringed on his right to a fair hearing.

“To be sure, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has always been ready to take his trial because he is firmly convinced of his innocence. But the perverse events of the past six months… posed portent dangers to his constitutional rights, particularly his right to a fair and speedy hearing,” he added.

Kanu, who was first arrested in 2015, has had a tumultuous legal journey. He was granted bail in 2017 but fled the country following a military raid at his residence in Abia State.

His re-arrest in Kenya in 2021 and subsequent extradition to Nigeria reignited the case, keeping him in detention under the Department of State Services (DSS).

While the Court of Appeal ruled for his release in 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the decision in 2023, allowing the Federal Government to proceed with its treasonable felony charges.

The judiciary has yet to reveal the name of the new judge, but the reassignment signals a possible turning point in one of Nigeria’s most closely watched trials.