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Fake Bureau De Change Operator Jailed 87 Years For N325m Fraud

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Justice Malami Dogondaji of the Sokoto State High Court has convicted and sentenced Abubakar Ahmad to 87 years imprisonment for criminal breach of trust and obtaining by false pretence the sum of N325,800,000 (Three Hundred and Twenty Five Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira).

Ahmad was jailed on Thursday, October 5, 2023, after pleading guilty to 12-count charges bordering on criminal breach of trust and obtaining by false pretence.

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One of the charges reads: “That you Abubakar Ahmad, sometime in October 2022 in Sokoto within the Judicial Division of the High Court of Justice Sokoto State while being entrusted with property to wit: the total sum of N80,100,000.00 (Eighty Million One Hundred Thousand Naira) by one Usama Abdullahi for the purpose of Bureau de Change business; you dishonestly converted the said property/sum to your personal use in violation of the mode in which the trust was to be discharged and you thereby committed the offence of Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to Section 300 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law 2019 and punishable under Section 301 of the same Law”.

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Another charge read: “That you Abubakar Ahmad Abubakar sometime in March 2023 in Sokoto within the Judicial Division of the High Court of Justice Sokoto State, while being entrusted with property to wit: the total amount of N50,000,000.00 (Fifty Million Naira) by one Najib Hamza for the purpose of Bureau de Change business; you dishonestly converted the said property/sum to your personal use in violation of the mode in which the trust was to be discharged and you thereby committed the offence of Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to Section 300 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law 2019, and punishable under Section 301 of the same Law”.

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Upon arraignment, the defendant pleaded guilty to all the 12 counts preferred against him, prompting EFCC’s counsel, Kufre Ekpeyoung to pray the court to convict him accordingly.

Defence Counsel, Hamza Liman pleaded for a lighter sentence for his client “in view of the fact that he is a first-time offender.”

Justice Dogondaji, thereafter, convicted and sentenced Abubakar Ahmad Abubakar to 87 years imprisonment with an option of a fine of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) on each count totalling N2,400.000.00 (Two Million Four Hundred Thousand Naira). He also ordered restitution of N225,661,000 (Two Hundred and Twenty Five Million Six Hundred and Sixty One Thousand Naira) to all the petitioners, through the EFCC.

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READ ALSO: EFCC Arrests 40 Internet Fraudsters In Warri

Ahmad was sent to the Correctional centre after he was arrested by operatives of the Sokoto Zonal Command of the EFCC for defrauding 12 different persons of various sums of money under the guise of investments in his purported bureau-de-change business, which investigations proved to be false.

Ahmad had promised his victims between 50% to 100% interest on their investments monthly.

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He neither offered them any return on their investment nor refunded their money.

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JUST IN: Psychiatric Hospital Staff Shot Dead In Benin

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A yet-to-be identified man was, this evening (Friday, 11 July, 2025) shot dead at Uselu Share, Benin City, in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State.

The man, who should be in his late 50’s was a staff of the Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Benin.

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He was reportedly trailed by two vehicles – GLK Jeep and a red car – as he drove out from the hospital premises after the close of work.

According to our source, the two vehicles had packed in a nearby place waiting for the man’s vehicle, adding that immediately he drove out, he was trailed to a point where he was caught up and shot at a close range on the head.

READ ALSO: Gunmen Invade Catholic Seminary School In Edo, Kill One, Abduct Three

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Our source who does not want his name mentioned, said: “He works at Psychiatric Hospital. He closed for the day’s work and was about driving home, but unfortunately he drove in less than one minute when he was gunned down.

“It happened around 5pm this evening. We were at a nearby fast food restaurant when we heard the gunshot. It didn’t take the guys one minute to gun him down.

“After they killed the man, they were still shooting as they moved. The guys in the two vehicles were more than five.

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“He’s an advance person, but we don’t know why he was killed,” he added.

READ ALSO: Pastor Arraigned Over Alleged Rape Of Married Woman In Edo

According to source, security operatives comprising the Nigeria Police, officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigerian Army arrived the scene promptly, adding that before they arrived the assailants had left.

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Our source added that the security personnel immediately evacuated the body from the scene.

Our source, who lamented that “three days ago, they came to rob a beer parlour and Baba Ijebu Shop in this same area,” urged the authorities to draft security personnel to the area.

Contacted on the phone by INFO DAILY, Police Public Relations Officer, Edo State Command, Moses Yamu, said he was yet to be informed of the incident, promising to make his founding.

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Gunmen Invade Catholic Seminary School In Edo, Kill One, Abduct Three

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Gunmen on Thursday night attacked the Catholic Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary School at Ivianokpodi, Agenebode in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State and killed a member of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attached to the school.

The gunmen also abducted three students of the school.

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This is coming barely ten months after an attack was carried out in the area. Two people including a priest were kidnapped and one killed during the attack.

The Directorate, Social Communications, Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Rev. Fr Peter Egielewa confirmed the incident on Friday

He said that the gunmen attacked the school at about 9:00 pm at night.

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READ ALSO: Pastor Arraigned Over Alleged Rape Of Married Woman In Edo

Egielewa expressed displeasure over the persistence attack on the Catholic school, personnel and its facilities.

This is the second time in 10 months that the school had been attacked

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“10 Months ago, a priest was kidnapped.

“And now three seminarians were abducted and a civil defense corps is killed, while a local vigilante sustained gun injuries

“We call on the government to protect the lives of all those who work in Catholic institution and our diocese.

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“We hope the security agencies at the local, state and federal level take up the responsibility on that, so our people can be in peace and safety,” Egielewa said

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Pastor Arraigned Over Alleged Rape Of Married Woman In Edo

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A 38-year-old pastor, Simeon Okehielem, of the Synagogue Prayers Ministry has been arraigned before an Edo State High Court for allegedly raping a married woman, Mrs Isoken Vivian Aigbedo.

The pastor, who was accused of engaging in sexual relationships with married women within his congregation, was docked before the court in Benin City, on Thursday.

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The charges against Pastor Okehielem followed a year 2022 incident in Uholor Community of Benin City where the cleric allegedly drugged and raped the woman leading to the birth of a child.

Recent DNA results reportedly confirmed the pastor as the biological father of the child, which prompted the Nigerian Police to re-arrest and formally arraign him.

READ ALSO: Controversy Over Pregnant Woman Buried Alive In Edo

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The presiding judge, Justice Erhabor, granted an ex-parte order to remand the suspect at the Benin Correctional Custodial Centre for 14 days, pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ministry of Justice, Edo State.

The State Prosecutor, P.O. Odion, told the court that the alleged offence occurred in February 2022.

Okehielem was slammed with two-count charge on alleged rape and administering a stupefying substance with the intent to commit a felony.

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The charge sheet, marked Suit No: BLOD/2323M/2025, reads: “That you, Okehielem Simeon ‘m’, in or about the month of February 2022, in Benin City within the Benin Criminal Division, did rape one Mrs Isoken Vivian Aigbedo and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 4, punishable under Section 5(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2021.

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“That you, Okehielem Simeon ‘m’, in or about the month of February 2022, in Benin City within the Benin Criminal Division, with intent to commit a felony, administered a substance to stupefy one Mrs Isoken Vivian Aigbedo, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 256 of the Criminal Law of Edo State, 2022.”

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Speaking to journalists after the court session, the victim’s legal counsel, Clinton Ogbebor, applauded the Police for its diligence.

We are in court today over the alleged rape of my client, Mrs Isoken Aigbedo, by one Pastor Simeon Okehielem,” he said.

Ogbebor confirmed that the case file would now be forwarded to the office of the DPP for legal advice, after which the trial will proceed accordingly.

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The development has stirred debates across Benin City, with residents and religious leaders expressing shock and calling for justice.

The case has been adjourned pending further legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution.

 

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