‘Mama Boko Haram’ arraigned for alleged N66 million fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned Aisha Wakil, (aka Mama Boko Haram), before a Maiduguri High Court for alleged financial fraud to the tune of N66 million.

Mrs Wakil, a lawyer, and wife to a Borno high court judge, was arraigned alongside Tahiru Daura.

Mrs Wakil and Mr Daura were accused of using their non-governmental organisation, known as Complete Care and Aid Foundation, to execute the alleged crime by defrauding a supply company, AMTMAT Global Ventures, of N66 million.

According to the charge sheet, Mrs Wakil, being the CEO/MD Total Care and Aid Foundation, and Mr Dauda, her programme manager, were said to have “criminally” obtained processed bags grains worth N51 million from Ali Tijjani, the owner of AMTMAT Global Ventures and then refused to pay him for the service.

The duo is also being accused of causing Mr Tijjani’s company to foot their foreign trip to Morocco with the promise of paying the N15 million bill, a promise they eventually breached.

Mr Tijjani was left with no choice than to petition the EFCC.

Both denied the allegation and pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of conspiracy and cheating leveled against them.

Allegations

The petitioner, Mr Tijjani, had alleged that, on September 7, 2018, Complete Care and Aids Foundation awarded his company a contract to supply processed maize grain, worth N51 million.

The plaintiff explained that Mrs Wakil took delivery of the supplied grains flour on behalf of the foundation.

The complainer further added that his company “upon the request of the defendants equally processed and funded their trip to Morocco to the tune of N15million, a cost they refused to defray.”

Trial

The prosecution counsel, Fatsuma Muhammad, applied for a trial date and for the accused persons to be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre (NCS), Maiduguri, pending the determination of the case.

Counsel to the defendants, H. Waziri and B.G Zanna, made oral bail applications for the defendants, on the ground that the EFCC had earlier granted them administrative bail.

Justice Kumaliya granted the duo bail in the sum of N30 million with two sureties in like sum.

The judge said one of the sureties, “must be someone at the level of a permanent secretary in the civil service, who owns a landed property in Maiduguri GRA, and must submit the title document of the property to the registry of the court.”

The judge said the bail will be revoked “on the failure of the defendants to attend the trial.”

The matter was adjourned until January 13, 2020 for the commencement of trial.

Off hook, temporarily

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mrs Wakil was able to meet her bail condition at about 5 p.m.

But Mr Tijjani is still in custody for being unable to meet his own part.

Mrs Wakil became popular for her claims of having unfettered access to the Boko Haram insurgents.

The federal government had during the early stages of the insurgency depended on her to negotiate backend deals with the Boko Haram.

She had in 2012 led a group of hooded Boko Haram leaders to the Government House Maiduguri where they promised to broker peace between the government and the insurgents.

It was not clear if any of her moves yielded positive results as the insurgency is yet to abate.