The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the Chief Executive Officer of MB Lugga Global Travels and Tours Limited, Mustapha Mohammed, on a three-count charge of fraud and obtaining money under false pretences amounting to N144 million.
Mohammed was brought before Justice T.G. Ringim of the Federal High Court, Gombe, on Monday for allegedly collecting N144 million from two individuals, Hamza Maina and Ibrahim Arabia, under the guise of securing flight tickets, visas, and accommodation for their 2024 Ramadan Lesser Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
According to the EFCC, Mohammed, alongside an accomplice, Nazifi Idris, who is currently at large, fraudulently obtained N97,080,000 from Maina for the pilgrimage.
In a separate instance, he allegedly collected N29,082,500 from Arabia for the same purpose. The charges against him contravene Sections 1(1)(a) and 1(2)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
During the court proceedings, the EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, S.H. Sa’ad, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand Mohammed in the Gombe State Correctional Facility pending the determination of the case.
However, Mohammed’s defence counsel, M.Z. Gambo, filed a bail application, which the prosecution strongly opposed.
Opposing the bail plea, Sa’ad informed the court that Mohammed had multiple pending fraud petitions against him from different complainants, alleging that he swindled them out of a combined total of N120,869,500. Sa’ad further argued that granting him bail posed a flight risk, as he could flee the country to evade justice.
Justice Ringim, after hearing both arguments, adjourned the case for a ruling on the bail application and ordered that Mohammed be remanded in the Gombe State Correctional Facility until the next hearing.
The case has been adjourned to a later date for further proceedings.