RismadarVoice Reporters, February 11, 2026
Sokoto Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of two individuals for offences bordering on impersonation, obtaining by false pretence and cheating.
The convicts, Abdulrahman Abdullahi, also known as A.A. Sabo, and Bashir Muhammad, were convicted by the Sokoto State High Court.
Abdullahi was prosecuted before Justice Abubakar Adamu, while Muhammad was tried before Justice Muhammad Bargaja. The EFCC prosecution team was led by Aliyu Bokani Usman, and Yusuf Kolapo Saidu, who each filed a one-count charge against the defendants.
According to the EFCC, the convicts were earlier transferred to the commission for further investigation by the Department of State Services (DSS), Sokoto State Command. They were alleged to be members of the notorious “Sai Mallam” cult group, said to be involved in advance fee fraud operations within Sokoto and its environs.
The anti-graft agency said investigations revealed that the group allegedly defrauded several unsuspecting victims across Nigeria and in neighbouring countries, including Niger Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin Republic and Burkina Faso.
Details of the sentences imposed by the court were not immediately disclosed in the statement.
The EFCC reiterated its commitment to tackling internet fraud and other financial crimes in the region, warning that individuals involved in impersonation and related offences would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
