EFCC arraigns MD for N144m Hajj pilgrims fraud in Gombe

The Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MB Lugga Global Travels and Tours Limited, Mustapha Mohammed, before Justice T.G. Ringim of the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe, Gombe State, on a three-count bordering on intent to defraud and obtaining by false pretenses to the tune of N144,162,500.

Count one of the charges read: “That you, Mustapha Mohammed, male adult, while being the Chief Executive Officer of MB Lugga Global Travel and Tours Limited and Nazifi Sale Idris (now at large), sometime in 2024 at Gombe, Gombe State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did with intent to defraud falsely obtain through your personal Access Bank PLC account number 0026323827, the total sum of N97,080,000.00 (Ninety-Seven Million, Eighty Thousand Naira) from one Hamza Ibrahim Maina for the purpose of procuring flight tickets, visas, and accommodation for the 2024 Ramadan Lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia, which you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

Count two of the charge read: “That you, Mustapha Mohammed, male adult, while being the Chief Executive Officer of MB Lugga Global Travel and Tours Limited and Nazifi Sale Idris (now at large), sometime between December 2023 and February 2024 at Gombe, Gombe State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did with intent to defraud falsely obtain through your personal Access Bank PLC account number 0026323827, the total sum of N29,082,500.00 (Twenty-Nine Million, Eighty-Two Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) from one Ibrahim Arabia for the Ramadan Lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia, which you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(2)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, S.H. Saad, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded at the Gombe State Correctional Facility.

However, counsel to the defendant, M.Z. Gambo, moved a motion for bail, which was vehemently opposed by the prosecution. Saad submitted that, “My Lord, the defendant still has about eight other pending petitions filed by different nominal complainants alleging that he defrauded them to the aggregate sum of N120,869,500, and if granted bail, he might flee the shores of Nigeria and may never be found again. Therefore, in the interest of justice, we urge My Lord not to grant the defendant bail.”

Justice Ringim, having listened to both counsels, adjourned the case for a ruling on the bail application and remanded the defendant at the Gombe State Correctional Facility.