The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday arraigned Gidado Ibrahim and Halimat Adenike Tejusho over allegations that they collected N603.4 million to secure the appointment of Oluseye Yomi-Sholoye as Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
Tejusho remains at large.
The suspects appeared before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, facing an amended six-count charge of fraud and obtaining money under false pretence.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly received the money from the complainant between August and October 2024, claiming they could influence her appointment to the top position at the national oil company.
One count of the charge sheet stated, “That you GIDADO IBRAHIM and HALIMAT ADENIKE TEJUSHO O (now at large) between August 2024 to October 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court obtained the sum of N603,400,000.00 (Six Hundred and Three Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) from OLUSEYE YOMI-SHOLOYE under the false pretence that you will facilitate her appointment as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which pretence you knew to be false.”
The commission added that the alleged offence violates Section 1(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, punishable under Section 1(3) of the same law.
The EFCC also accused Ibrahim of using a forged document carrying the letterhead of the Presidency.
Another count read “That you, GIDADO IBRAHIM sometime in August, 2024 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court did use as genuine a forged document titled ‘Presidential Villa State House, OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER’ when you knew or had reason to believe it to be forged.”
Ibrahim pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel Y. Tarfa urged the court to set a trial date and requested that the defendant be remanded in a correctional facility.
In response, Ibrahim’s counsel, B. B. Alhaji, asked the court to keep his client in EFCC custody due to health concerns while his bail application was being considered.
Trial judge H. Muazu adjourned the matter to February 17, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that Ibrahim be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.
