A High Court Sitting in Maiduguri has arraigned a self-acclaimed Boko Haram negotiator, Aisha Wakil, and three others on a four-count charge of N66m fraud.
Wakil is also known as Mama Boko Haram for her supposed links with the group culminating in her reportedly participating in negotiations.
Mama Boko Haram, the CEO of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, was arraigned before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court 12 alongside her country manager, Lawal Sowode, and two programme managers of the foundation.
The arraignment followed a petition written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Maiduguri.
They were charged with three counts of conspiracy and cheating to the tune of N66m.
The petitioner, Ali Tijjani, the managing director of AMTMAT Global Ventures, had alleged that on September 7, 2018, Complete Care and Aids Foundation awarded his company a contract to supply processed maize grain, referred to as biski and worth N15m, which Wakil received on behalf of the foundation.
Tijjani said his company, upon the request of the defendants, also processed and funded their trip to Morocco.
Count two of the charge read, “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 induced Ali Tijjani, the CEO and alter ego of AMTMAT Global Ventures, to deliver to you processed maize grains (biski) valued at N15m 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 and the prosecution counsel, Fatsuma Muhammad, applied for a trial date and for the remand of the defendants in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre pending the determination of the case.
The defense counsel, Babagana Zanna, made oral bail applications for the defendants on the ground of the administrative bail earlier granted to them by the EFCC.
Justice Kumaliya, however, granted them bail in the sum of N30m with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be a civil servant not below the rank of a permanent secretary and must acquire a landed property in GRA worth N30m.
