Again, court jails ‘Mama Boko Haram’ for N11m contract fraud

The defendants, who served as Chief Executive Officer, Programme Manager, and Country Director respectively of the NGO, Complete Care and Aids Foundation, were charged with two counts of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.

According to a statement released Wednesday night by the EFCC Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, the convicts fraudulently obtained N11 million from one Muhammed Ambare of Muhammed Ambare Ventures in July 2018 under the guise of supplying and servicing two X-ray machines — a contract which turned out to be fictitious.

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Count two of the charge stated:

“That you, Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Saidu Daura, Prince Lawal Shoyode, and Saidu Mukhtar (now at large), with intent to defraud, obtained N11,000,000.00 from one Muhammed Ambare under the false pretence of executing a contract for supply, installation, and servicing of 2 units of X-Ray Machine Model 1800, which you knew to be false…”

The defendants initially pleaded not guilty, prompting the case to proceed to full trial. The EFCC, represented by prosecutors Mukhtar Ali Ahmed and S.O. Saka, presented a witness and submitted documentary evidence to support the case.

Justice Kumaliya found the three guilty on both counts, sentencing them to seven years on each count, to run concurrently — amounting to 14 years each. Additionally, the court ordered them to jointly refund N8 million to the petitioner or face another seven years behind bars in default of payment.

The case marks yet another legal blow for Wakil, who has faced multiple fraud-related convictions in recent years, despite her once-prominent public image as a humanitarian and peace advocate in the North-East.