The Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned four persons before Justice Muhammad Maina of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri, over an alleged contract fraud involving the sum of forty four million seven hundred thousand naira.
The defendants are Ruth Emmanuel, Ibrahim Dogo Hyelni, Esther Loretta Gabari and Gbenga Makinde Obanewo. They were arraigned on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, on an eight count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining under false pretence, criminal misappropriation, forgery and use of false documents to the tune of N44,700,000.00.
Count one of the charge states: “That you Ruth Emmanuel ‘F’, Ibrahim Dogo Hyelni ‘M’, Esther Loretta Gabari ‘F’ and Gbenga Makinde Obanewo ‘M’ on or about December 2025 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did agree among yourselves to do an illegal act, to wit: conspiracy to obtain by false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 8(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 respectively.”
Count five reads: “That you Ruth Emmanuel ‘F’, Ibrahim Dogo Hyelni ‘M’, Esther Loretta Gabari ‘F’ and Gbenga Makinde Obanewo ‘M’ on or about December 2025 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the aggregate sum of N44,700,000.00 (Forty Four Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira) from Ali Abatcha through the bank account of Ibrahim Dogo Hyelni with the account number 0026601703 domiciled with Guaranty Trust Bank under the false pretence that the said money is for the execution of a purported contract awarded by Global Health and Social Awareness (GHASA) Foundation, a Non governmental Organisation, to Ruhemd Global Enterprises, a representation which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 1(1) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 respectively.”
Counsel to the prosecution, S.O. Saka, prayed the court for a trial date and the remand of the defendants in a Correctional Centre. Counsel to the first and second defendants, B. Balama, prayed the court to admit the first defendant to bail on grounds of ill health.
Justice Maina thereafter admitted Emmanuel to bail in the sum of fifty million naira with two sureties residing in Maiduguri, one of whom must deposit a title document worth fifty million naira with the Registrar of the court. The case was adjourned until 4 November 2026 for the commencement of trial, and the judge remanded the defendants in the Correctional Centre.
The defendants were arrested after they allegedly conspired and collected the aggregate sum of N44.7 million from their victim for the execution of a purported contract awarded by Global Health and Social Awareness (GHASA) Foundation, a Non governmental Organisation, to Ruhemd Global Enterprises, a representation which is false.
By John James
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