The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arraigned the duo of Tahiru Saidu Daura and Aisha Alkali Wakil, popularly known as Mama Boko Haram, before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on a three-count charge of conspiracy and cheating to the tune of N66million (Sixty-six million Naira).
Mama Boko Haram has acted as a go-between the Federal Government and the terrorist group by that name in efforts to get kidnapped school girls released from the group’s captivity.
The prosecution of the duo followed a petition written by one Ali Tijjani, CEO/managing director of AMTMAT Global Ventures against Complete Care and Aids Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), run by the defendants, wherein the petitioner alleged that, on September 7, 2018, Complete Care and Aids Foundation awarded his company a contract to supply it processed maize grain, referred to as “biski” in native language, worth N15million, which the second defendant, Wakil received on behalf of Complete Care and Aid Foundation upon delivery.
According to Tijjani, his company upon the request of the defendants equally process and funded their trip to Morocco to the tune of N51million, a cost they refused to defray.
One of the charges against the duo reads: “That you Tahiru Saidu Daura, while being a programme manager of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, and Aisha Wakil, being the CEO of Complete Care and Aid Foundation on the 7th September, 2018, in Maiduguri within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, dishonestly induce Ali Tijjani, the CEO and alter ego of AMTMAT Global Ventures to deliver to you, processed maize grains (biski), valued at N15,000,000.00 (Fifteen Million Naira) which you are yet to pay and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320(a) and punishable under Section 322 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Borno State.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges, upon which prosecution counsel, Fatsuma Muhammad applied for a trial date and for the remand of the defendants in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Centre (NCS), pending the determination of the case.
However, counsels for the defendants, H. Waziri and B.G Zanna made oral bail applications for the defendants, on the ground of the administrative bail, earlier granted to them by the EFCC.
Justice Kumaliya granted them to bail in the sum of N30million with two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties he said, must be someone at the level of a permanent secretary in the civil service, who owns a landed property in Maiduguri GRA, and must submit the title document of the property to the registry of the court.
The judge further declared that the bail will be revoked on the failure of the defendants to attend trial. She adjourned the matter until Jan13, 2020 for commencement of trial.