By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)
The Sokoto Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC Tuesday secured the conviction of Abdulrahman Abdullahi (alias A.A Sabo) and Bashir Muhammad over offences or cheating, internet frauds and obtaining by false pretence.
Abdulrahman Abdullahi and Bashir Muhammad were arraigned on a one count each before Justice Abubaker Adamu and Justice Muhammad Bargaja of the Sokoto State High Court.
Realizing both convicts were members of the infamous Sokoto Sai Malam cult group, they were transferred to the EFCC for further investigations by the Department of State Services DSS Sokoto State Command for further investigation on their involvement in advance fee fraud within Sokoto environs and defrauded several unsuspecting victims within Nigeria, Niger Republic, Cote d' Ivoire, Benin Republic and Burkina Faso.
Detailed investigations by the anti graft agency revealed that the operational style of the duo involved creating and operating fictitious social media accounts especially on TikTok, uploading large quantities of fake currencies mainly United States Dollars and West African Franc (CFA); as well as portraying themselves as powerful marabouts capable of doubling money and making people wealthy.
In his confessional statement, Abdulrahman Abdullahi confessed to operating TikTok accounts under the false name, "Iman-Iman", "Sheik Khalifa Bauchi" and "Sheik Ibrahim";
This is just as the second convict, Bashir Muhammad equally confessed to using "Mallam Jamilu" as his deceptive name.
The charge presses before the duo reads: "That you Abdulrahman Abdullahi (a member of a notorious Sai Mallam cult), male, sometime in 2024 in Sokoto within the Jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice, Sokoto State, fraudulently obtained the total sum of Fifty Million Naira (N50,000,000.00) by falsely representing yourself to several person/unsuspecting victims who are mostly Foreign Nationals of (Francophone countries such as Niger Republic, Cote d' Ivoire, Benin Republic and Burkina Faso) as a money doubling agent who has the capacity to make them wealthy via a TikTok account and as a result induced them to part with their hard earned money, thereby committing an offence of Cheating contrary to Section 310 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law 2019 and punishable under Section 311 of the same Law".
The other sharge "That you Bashir Muhammad, male, sometimes in 2025 in Sokoto within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice, Sokoto State, while being a member of a notorious cult "sai mallam"; fraudulently obtained the sum of 174,400CFA (N441,023.44) from Ashiru Aliyu, 25,000CFA (N63,220.10) from Bchirou x, 30,000CFA (N75,864.12) from Bello X, 55,000CFA (N139,084.23) from Attahirou A, 163,200CFA (N412,700.83) from Alhassane, 33,000CFA (N83,450.54) from illiassou Adamou, 40,000CFA (N111,267.38) from Mamane, N13,500 from Muhammadu Sani Likita, N75,000.00 from Ibrahim Abdou and N14,000.00 from Ali Mohammed; totalling the sum of N1,474,200.00 by falsely representing yourself as a money doubling agent via a TikTok account and as a result induced them to part with their money, thereby committing an offence of Cheating contrary to Section 310 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law 2019, and punishable under Section 311 of the same Law".
Having heard the charges, both of them pleaded guilty to the charge, prompting prosecution counsels Aliyu Bokani Usman Phd, and Yusuf Kolapo Saidu to pray for the Court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Adamu convicted and sentenced Abdulrahman Abdullahi to 2 years imprisonment with an option of N1 million fine. The Judge also forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria 2 units of three bedroom houses situated at Ruggar Waru area of Sokoto, a plot of land situated at Ruggar Waru area of Sokoto, 7 units of split AC's and a Samsung Galaxy Fold 6; all of which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of his criminal conduct. The Court also ordered the destruction of 2 native calabash and its contents used to commit the crime while ordering the convict to depose to an affidavit of good behaviour with the EFCC.
Justice Muhammad Bargaja also convicted and sentenced Bashir Muhammad to 2 years imprisonment with an option of N100,000.00 fine. The Court ordered a post conviction restitution of the N1,474,200 in full within 4 months with a penalty of an additional 2 years imprisonment in case of default. The Judge also ordered the forfeiture of the convicts Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and directed the convict to depose to an affidavit of good behaviour with the EFCC. NNL.
