RismadarVoice Reporters
June 25, 2026
The trial of the National Coordinator of the Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Danjuma Mohammed, was on Thursday stalled at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Zuba, Abuja, following his absence from court.
Mohammed, who is the first defendant in the case, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Prince Achem and Aminu Alhaji, who is currently at large, over an amended 54-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, fraud, and forgery involving N2.2 billion.
At the resumed hearing before Justice K. N. Ogbonnaya, counsel to the EFCC, Joshua Saidi, informed the court that the prosecution had received a letter from the first defendant’s counsel indicating that Mohammed would be unable to attend proceedings due to a scheduled surgery.
According to Saidi, the late notice caused significant inconvenience to the prosecution, particularly as witnesses had travelled from different states to attend the hearing.
“My Lord, we got a letter yesterday from counsel to the first defendant that he is preparing to undergo a scheduled surgery. This is very frustrating because if they had informed us earlier, we wouldn’t have bothered bringing all these witnesses from Gombe, Borno and Katsina to court today. This is the third time these witnesses have come to court,” he said.
Responding, counsel to the first defendant, M.S. Ibrahim, SAN, explained that his client was unavoidably absent after being diagnosed with a urinary-related medical condition on June 18, 2026, which required surgical intervention.
He informed the court that a medical report and letter from the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abuja, confirming the diagnosis had already been made available to the prosecution.
Counsel to the second defendant, J.J. Usman, SAN, told the court that although he was prepared to continue with the cross-examination of the first prosecution witness, Kenneth Ejiofor Ifekudu, he was unable to proceed in the absence of the first defendant.
Following submissions from counsel, Justice Ogbonnaya adjourned the matter until July 13, 2026, for continuation of the trial.
The EFCC alleges that the defendants were involved in fraudulent activities, conspiracy, forgery, and obtaining funds under false pretences in connection with projects under the North East Development Commission, resulting in a loss of approximately N2.2 billion. The defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
