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EFCC Files 55-Count Charge Against Danjuma, Abuja socialite, Echem over multi-billion naira contract fraud.


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has nabbed and arraigned alleged serial fraudsters and popular Abuja socialite, Prince Chibuike Echem and National Coordinator of the Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) at the North East Development Commission, Danjuma Mohammed, over multi-billion contract fraud.

They were alleged to have swindled an indigenous construction and equipment supply firm, Diamond Leeds Limited multiple billion naira, posing as contract facilitators linked to major government agencies.

On Tuesday in Abuja, the two defendants were brought before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Zuba to answer a 55-count charge bordering on advance fee fraud and forgery, as they pleaded not guilty on all counts.

Trouble started in 2023 when Echem allegedly took advantage of his closeness to the Chairman of Diamond Leeds Ltd, Kenneth Ifekudu and introduced him to Danjuma who posed as a power-broker in the North.

Diamond Leeds was said to have had business transactions with Echem who served as a consultant but allegedly abused his closeness to the chairman of the firm and duped him billions of naira, with Danjuma Mohammed as his lead accomplice.

It was gathered that though Diamond Leeds was reportedly issued contract award letters, the company was never allowed to mobilise engineers or equipment to project sites anywhere in the North East, as Danjuma Mohammed usually cited insecurity in the region.

Both defendants were arraigned with Charge NO: CR/708/25. Charge Number One reads: "That you Alhaji Danjuma Mohammed being the National Coordinator of Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) North East Development Commission, Prince Chibuike Echem and Aminu Alhaji (still at large) between May, 2022 and February, 2024 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory conspired amongst yourselves to do an illegal act, to wit; obtaining by false pretences the cumulative sum of (N2, 280,000,000.00 ) Two Billion, Two Hundred and Eighty Million Naira from one Kenneth Ejiofor Ifekudu the managing director of Diamond Leeds Limited and Diamond Leeds Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud related offences Act,2006 and Punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act".

After taking their plea, Prosecution Counsel from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Olarenwaju Adeola asked that the defendants be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, pending the determination of the suit.

In her ruling, Justice Keziah Ogbonnaya remanded the defendants at Suleja Correctional Centre. And adjourned the matter to March 25 to April 7 for bail application by the defence counsel.

She said her reason for choosing the Suleja Correctional Centre was because of its proximity to the court.

Speaking with journalists after the case was adjourned, Lead Counsel for the nominal complainant, Beth Igwilo(SAN) disclosed that seven witnesses would be called for the case, even as he sought for objective reporting from reporters.

Prior to the arraignment, internal investigations by Diamond Leeds allegedly revealed that all contract documents presented for execution were forged.

The company also expressed disappointment that despite its chairman’s personal kind gestures to Chibuike Echem, he conspired with the suspected fraud syndicate to defraud him of multiple billions of Naira.

Following repeated demands by Diamond Leeds for payment for supplied equipment, the syndicate allegedly opened a Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) account bearing the acronym NEDC, from which part of the defrauded funds was returned to the company but packaged as payment for equipment supplied.

EFCC investigators have since stepped into the matter, unraveling other fraudulent activities that allegedly linked to Danjuma Mohammed that eventually led to his sack from the NEDC.

LaIabobo:
NEDC?? A commission established only six years ago is already embroiled in fraud cases involving billions of naira.

Everybody na thief for that country

Melagros:
COMRADES, imagine as popular as I am today, then suddenly my people should see me on EFCC's mugshot as a 'criminal'. Honestly, I don't know what else will be my second thought

Shimran:
I guess you need to read the post again. Though NEDC isn't corruption free. The name NEDC was used to defraud a contractor by one of the culprit.

simpleseyi:
I no know why Courts no dey quick jail fraudsters

LaIabobo:
NEDC?? A commission established only six years ago is already embroiled in fraud cases involving billions of naira.

Everybody na thief for that country

Melagros:
COMRADES, imagine as popular as I am today, then suddenly my people should see me on EFCC's mugshot as a 'criminal'. Honestly, I don't know what else will be my second thought