RismadarVoice Reporters
January 28, 2026
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arraigned a former National Coordinator of the Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), Danjuma Mohammed, alongside the Chief Executive Officer of Bondpay, Prince Chibuike Echem, over an alleged N2.28 billion contract fraud.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Keziah Ogbonnaya of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Zuba, Abuja. A third defendant, Aminu Alhaji, is currently at large.
They are standing trial on a 54-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy, advance fee fraud, false pretence and forgery, allegedly committed between 2022 and 2024.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly defrauded an indigenous construction and equipment supply firm, Diamond Leeds Limited, by posing as contract facilitators with links to key government agencies.
In the charge marked CR/708/25, Mohammed and Echem are listed as the first and second defendants respectively.
Count One alleges that between May 2022 and February 2024 in Abuja, the defendants conspired to obtain N2,280,000,000 from the Managing Director of Diamond Leeds Limited, Kenneth Ejiofor Ifekudu, contrary to Section 8(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
Count Three alleges that sometime between January and December 2023, the defendants fraudulently obtained an aggregate sum of N573.5 million from Ifekudu through a Wema Bank account belonging to Echem, under the false pretence that they had the capacity to award and execute contracts under the NEDC’s Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery and Stability Programme.
When the charges were read, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Following the plea, prosecution counsel Olarenwaju Adeola applied for the defendants to be remanded in a correctional facility pending trial. However, defence counsel Chukwuka Obidike informed the court that bail applications had already been filed.
The prosecution opposed the immediate hearing of the bail applications, stating that it had only been served the previous evening and required time to file a counter-affidavit. Justice Ogbonnaya granted the request in the interest of justice.
The judge consequently ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre, citing its proximity to the court, and adjourned the matter to March 25 for hearing of the bail applications.
The case dates back to 2023 when Echem allegedly introduced the Chairman of Diamond Leeds Limited, Kenneth Ifekudu, to Mohammed, who was presented as a powerful figure with influence in the North.
Investigations revealed that although Diamond Leeds was allegedly issued contract award letters, the company was never allowed to mobilise personnel or equipment to project sites in the North-East, with Mohammed reportedly citing insecurity as justification.
Speaking after the adjournment, lead counsel for the nominal complainant, Beth Igwilo (SAN), disclosed that seven witnesses would be called during trial.
Diamond Leeds further alleged that all contract documents presented were forged, expressing disappointment that Echem allegedly conspired with others to defraud the company despite benefiting from its chairman’s goodwill.
EFCC investigations also revealed that the syndicate allegedly opened a Guaranty Trust Bank account bearing the acronym NEDC, through which part of the funds was returned under the guise of payment for supplied equipment.
The commission further uncovered additional fraudulent activities linked to Mohammed, which reportedly led to his removal from the NEDC.
