Abdul-Hafeez Fadehan
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged four individuals with forgery and impersonation of the agency.
In a statement released on X.com on Friday, the EFCC announced the arraignment of Solomon Yohanna, Shedrach Naphtali, Hassan Mohammed, and Abdullahi Abubakar before Justice Hammed Isha. They are accused of impersonating the EFCC by forging official documents to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.
The charges, brought by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, include nine counts related to forgery, aiding and abetting a crime, and impersonation. One of the charges states: “Between 2023 and 2024 in Yola, Adamawa State, you, Solomon Yohanna, Shedrach Naphtali, Hassan Mohammed, and Abdullahi Abubakar, forged the Commission’s signature on various documents, including a Letter of Authority and several approval letters, with the intent to falsely claim that the first defendant was an EFCC staff member assigned to audit and supervise local government projects.”
Solomon Yohanna reportedly pleaded guilty to the charges and has been remanded at Yola Correctional Centre in Adamawa State. The statement noted that during the arraignment on October 15, 2024, Yohanna admitted guilt while the others pleaded not guilty. Following Yohanna’s admission, prosecution counsel Saad H. Saad requested to present witnesses to establish the facts of the case. However, the defense counsel, C. Karamuel, indicated he was not prepared to call any witnesses.
Justice Isha granted bail to the other three defendants—Naphtali, Mohammed, and Abubakar—each set at N5 million, requiring one surety for each who must reside in Yola and be a family man. The sureties are required to submit identity cards and sign bail bonds.
Yohanna remains in custody at the Yola Correctional Centre, and the court has scheduled the next hearing for November 15, 2024, for trial and fact review.
