The Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Mustapha Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MB Lugga Global Travels and Tours Limited, before Justice T.G. Ringim of the Federal High Court in Gombe State.
Mohammed faces three-count charges related to intent to defraud and obtaining money under false pretenses amounting to N144,162,500 (One Hundred and Forty-Four Million, One Hundred and Sixty-Two Thousand, Five Hundred Naira).
The charges stem from allegations that Mohammed, alongside an accomplice, Nazifi Sale Idris (currently at large), defrauded individuals under the guise of providing services for the 2024 Ramadan Lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
Details of the Charges:
Count One: Mohammed and Idris allegedly defrauded Hamza Ibrahim Maina of N97,080,000 (Ninety-Seven Million, Eighty Thousand Naira) through Mohammed’s personal Access Bank account (number 0026323827). The funds were purportedly for flight tickets, visas, and accommodation for the 2024 Ramadan Lesser Hajj, which the EFCC claims were never provided. This offense violates Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offenses Act, 2006, punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
Count Two: The defendants are accused of fraudulently obtaining N29,082,500 (Twenty-Nine Million, Eighty-Two Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) from one Ibrahim Arabia for similar Hajj-related services. This charge also falls under Section 1(2)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act.
Court Proceedings:
During the arraignment, prosecution counsel S.H. Saad requested a trial date and urged the court to remand Mohammed at the Gombe State Correctional Facility. Saad also opposed the defendant’s bail application, citing eight additional pending petitions against Mohammed, alleging fraud totaling N120,869,500. The prosecution argued that granting bail could lead to Mohammed fleeing the country, jeopardizing the case.
Defense counsel M.Z. Gambo, however, filed a motion for bail, which was strongly contested by the prosecution. Justice Ringim, after hearing both sides, adjourned the case for a ruling on the bail application and ordered the defendant to be remanded in custody pending further proceedings.
The case has drawn significant attention due to the substantial sums involved and the serious nature of the allegations. The court’s decision on the bail application is eagerly awaited as the EFCC continues its investigation into the matter.
