EFCC arraigns couple, two others for ₦197.75m fraud in Kaduna
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a couple, Baba Sule Abubakar Sadiq and Hafsat Kabir Lawal, along with two others, Abdullahi Bala and Ladani Akindele, for allegedly defrauding victims of ₦197,750,000. The suspects were charged before Justice Amina Bello of the Kaduna State High Court on Monday, March 9, 2025.
According to the EFCC, the defendants engaged in fraud, money laundering, and theft by impersonating Fatima Dikko Radda, the wife of the Katsina State governor, to deceive their victims. They were initially arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) before being handed over to the EFCC for prosecution.
One of the charges states that the suspects fraudulently obtained ₦89 million from a victim, Aminu Usman, under the false claim that they had $53,300 to exchange for naira. The funds were transferred into a Taj Bank account owned by Abdullahi Bala, one of the co-defendants.
Further investigations revealed that Hafsat Kabir Lawal used her false identity to defraud another petitioner of ₦108 million, claiming she had $118,300 to exchange. The EFCC disclosed that her husband, Baba Sule Abubakar Sadiq, played a key role by registering SIM cards under the name Fatima Dikko Radda on Truecaller to make the impersonation more convincing.
Sadiq allegedly reached out to his former colleague, Ladani Akindele, to obtain the contact of Unity Bank Chairman Hafiz Bashir. This connection helped them target bureau de change operator Aminu Usman, who eventually lost nearly ₦200 million to the scheme.
The funds were allegedly deposited into an account provided by the suspects and later laundered through various means. When the charges were read in court, all four defendants pleaded not guilty.
The EFCC’s counsel, Bright C. Ogbonna, opposed the defense lawyers’ bail applications, arguing they were not yet due for hearing. The defense counsels, representing each of the accused, attempted to apply for bail orally, but the prosecution insisted on following proper procedures.
After hearing both sides, Justice Bello ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility. The case was adjourned to March 17, 2025, for the hearing of the bail applications.
