The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned four suspects for allegedly defrauding victims of N197,750,000 by impersonating a high-ranking official.

The suspects – husband and wife, Baba Sule Abubakar Sadiq and Hafsat Kabir Lawal, along with Abdullahi Bala and Ladani Akindele – appeared before Justice Amina Bello of the Kaduna State High Court on March 10, 2025.

According to court documents, the defendants face six charges including obtaining money by false pretense, money laundering, and theft.

The indictment details how the accused allegedly orchestrated a fraudulent scheme by posing as the wife of Katsina State Governor Fatima Dikko Radda.

It is alleged that Hafsat Lawal contacted potential victims, claiming to have substantial U.S. dollar funds to exchange for Nigerian Naira.

Under this guise, she secured N89,000,000 from one petitioner and an additional N108,000,000 from another, with the funds subsequently deposited into a Taj Bank account linked to one of the co-defendants.

Investigations reveal that the suspects initially came under scrutiny following arrests by officers from the Department of State Services (DSS), before being transferred to the EFCC as evidence mounted that their offenses were rooted in financial crimes.

In one of the indictments, the defendants are accused of defrauding Aminu Usman in December 2024 by falsely asserting possession of $53,300, thereby tricking him into transferring a large sum into a designated bank account.

Despite pleading not guilty at the arraignment, the defendants’ counsel moved for bail.

However, prosecution counsel Bright C. Ogbonna argued that the applications were premature.

After hearing submissions from both sides, Justice Bello denied the bail requests and remanded the suspects in a correctional facility, scheduling the matter for a bail hearing on March 17, 2025.

Couple on trial for impersonating Katsina First Lady in ₦197m fraud scheme