Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned a former National Coordinator of the Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project, MCRP, of the North East Development Commission, NEDC, Alhaji Danjuma Mohammed, over an alleged N2.28 billion fraud, marking another high-profile corruption case linked to Nigeria’s intervention agencies.
Mohammed was docked alongside Prince Chibuike Echem and Aminu Alhaji (currently at large) before Justice K. N. Ogbonnaya of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Zuba, Abuja. The defendants are facing a 54-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence and forgery.
At the proceedings, EFCC counsel Adeola Olanrewaju informed the court that the Commission had filed the original charge on December 3, 2025, but sought to substitute it with an amended 54-count charge dated January 22, 2026. The court granted the application.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly conspired between May 2022 and February 2024 to fraudulently obtain N2.28 billion from Kenneth Ejiofor Ifekudu, Managing Director of Diamond Leeds Limited, under the guise of awarding contracts under NEDC-related programmes.
Count one of the charge states that the defendants “conspired amongst yourselves to do an illegal act, to wit; obtaining by false pretences the cumulative sum of N2,280,000,000 from Kenneth Ejiofor Ifekudu and Diamond Leeds Limited,” contrary to the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
Another count alleges that Mohammed and his co-accused obtained N573.5 million in 2023 through a Wema Bank account belonging to Prince Echem, falsely claiming they had the authority to award and execute contracts under the North East Recovery and Stability Programme, NERSP, of the NEDC.
The EFCC told the court that the representations made to the petitioner were knowingly false and intended to defraud.
All defendants present pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following the plea, Olanrewaju urged the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendants in custody pending trial. He also opposed the immediate hearing of a bail application filed by the defence.
“My lord, the motion for bail was only served on us yesterday at about 4:30pm. We have reasons to object and we seek time to respond appropriately,” the prosecution said.
Ruling on the matter, Justice Ogbonnaya held that “in the interest of justice, the prosecution should be allowed to respond,” and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre pending trial.
The case was adjourned to March 25, 2026, for commencement of trial.
