The Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned four alleged contract fraudsters before Justice Muhammad Maina of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri.
The defendants are: Ruth Emmanuel, Ibrahim Dogo Hyelni, Esther Loretta Gabari and Gbenga Makinde Obanewo.
They were arraigned on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, on an eight- count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining under false pretence, criminal misappropriation, forgery and use of false documents to the tune of N44,700,000.00 (Forty-Four Million Seven Hundred Thousand Naira).
Count one reads: “That you Ruth Emmanuel ‘F’, Ibrahim Dogo Hyelni ‘M’, Esther Loretta Gabari ‘F’ and Gbenga Makinde Obanewo ‘M’ on or about December, 2025 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did agree among yourselves to do illegal act, to wit: conspiracy to obtain by false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 8(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 respectively.”
Count five reads: “That you Ruth Emmanuel ‘F’, Ibrahim Dogo Hyelni ‘M’, Esther Loretta Gabari ‘F’ and Gbenga Makinde Obanewo ‘M’ on or about December, 2025 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the aggregate sum of N 44,700,000.00 (Forty Four Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira) from Ali Abatcha through the bank account of Ibrahim Dogo Hyelni with the account number, 0026601703 domiciled with Guaranty Trust Bank under the false pretence that the said money is for the execution of a purported contract awarded by Global Health and Social Awareness (Ghasa) foundation, a Non-governmental Organisation to Ruhemd Global Enterprises, a representation which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 1(1) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 respectively.”
Counsel to the prosecution, S.O Saka, prayed the court for a trial date and the remand of the defendants in a Correctional Centre. While counsel to the first and second defendants, B. Balama, prayed the court to admit the first defendant to bail because of ill-health.
Justice Maina thereafter admitted Emmanuel to bail in the sum of N50m with two sureties residing in Maiduguri, and one of the sureties must deposit a title document worth N50m to the Registrar of the court.
The case was adjourned till November 4, 2026 for commencement of trial and the judge remanded the defendants in the Correctional Centre.
The defendants were arrested when they allegedly conspired and collected the aggregate sum of N44.7m from their victim for the execution of a purported contract awarded by Global Health and Social Awareness (GHASA) Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, to Ruhemd Global Enterprises, a representation which is false.
