The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has dragged two suspects before the court over an alleged N603.4 million scam linked to a fake plot to secure the plum position of Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
The suspects, Gidado Ibrahim and Halimat Adenike Tejusho, now at large, were arraigned on Monday before the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
EFCC prosecutors told the court that the duo allegedly swindled Oluseye Yomi-Sholoye of N603.4 million between August and October 2024, claiming they could use their “connections” to facilitate her appointment as NNPC GMD.
They are facing an amended six-count charge bordering on fraud, forgery and obtaining money by false pretence.
One of the charges reads: “That you GIDADO IBRAHIM and HALIMAT ADENIKE TEJUSHO O (now at large) between August 2024 to October 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court obtained the sum of N603, 400,000.00. (Six Hundred and Three Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) from OLUSEYE YOMI-SHOLOYE under the false pretence that you will facilitate her appointment as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act,”
The anti-graft agency further accused Ibrahim of parading a forged document allegedly emanating from the Presidency to bolster the scam.
Another count stated:
“That you, GIDADO IBRAHIM sometime in August, 2024 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court did use as genuine a forged document titled ‘Presidential Villa State House, OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER’ when you knew or had reason to believe it to be forged and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 366 of the Penal Code Law and Punishable under Section 364 of the same Law.”
Ibrahim pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following his plea, the prosecution counsel, Y. Tarfa, urged the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendant in a correctional facility.
However, Ibrahim’s counsel, B. B. Alhaji, appealed to the court to keep his client in EFCC custody, citing his health condition, pending the determination of his bail application.
In his ruling, the trial judge, H. Muazu, adjourned the case to February 17, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that Ibrahim be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Halimat Adenike Tejusho remains at large.
