EFCC Arraigns Maiduguri Trader for N25.6m Beans Fraud

The Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Mohammed Abdullahi Korimi, a local trader, before the Borno State High Court sitting in Maiduguri over an alleged N25.647 million fraud involving 400 bags of beans.

The defendant was brought before Justice Aisha Kumaliya on Thursday, April 16, 2026, on a two‑count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation and obtaining by false pretence.

What the Charges Say

In the first count, prosecutors allege that Korimi, on or about July 2025 in Maiduguri, obtained 400 bags of beans valued at N25,647,000 from one Maina Hassan Madube under the false promise that he would supply the beans to his customers in Sango‑Ota, Ogun State, and make full payment within one week.

The charge further states that Korimi allegedly knew the representation was false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(1) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

The second count is framed on the basis of criminal misappropriation, which the EFCC has traditionally applied where funds or goods are taken under a trust or assurance and then wrongly withheld or diverted.

Court Proceedings So Far

When the charges were read to him, Korimi pleaded “not guilty,” setting the stage for a full trial if the case proceeds.

Acting for the prosecution, S.O. Saka informed the court that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission needed time to prepare its case and accordingly prayed for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in a correctional facility pending hearing.

Justice Aisha Kumaliya granted the application and ordered Korimi remanded at the Maiduguri Maximum Correctional Facility. The court adjourned the matter till Tuesday, April 22, 2026, primarily for the hearing of a bail application.

How the Alleged Fraud Unfolded

According to the EFCC, the alleged fraud began in July 2025 when Korimi approached Maina Hassan Madube in Maiduguri and convinced him to release 400 bags of beans on the strength of an oral agreement that the goods would be supplied to a buyer in Sango‑Ota, Ogun State, with payment promised within seven days.

The goods, valued at N25,647,000, were reportedly delivered, but the defendant allegedly failed to remit the agreed‑upon amount or show proof of onward sale, prompting the aggrieved supplier to file a complaint with the anti‑graft agency.

The EFCC’s Maiduguri operatives thereafter investigated the transaction, scrutinised bank records and business communications, and eventually arrested and charged Korimi in connection with the alleged N25.6 million fraud.

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Background on the Agency’s Maiduguri Efforts

The Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the EFCC has in recent months intensified its focus on trade‑related fraud, including advance‑fee schemes, commodity scams and fake supply deals disguised as legitimate business transactions.

Officials of the Commission have repeatedly warned traders and investors in Borno State to exercise caution when dealing in large‑scale commodity transactions, especially where parties insist on upfront delivery without verifiable collateral or documented payment timelines.

The case of Mohammed Abdullahi Korimi now joins a growing list of high‑value fraud trials before Justice Aisha Kumaliya, who has in 2026 presided over several EFCC‑related matters involving multi‑million‑naira scams in the Maiduguri judicial division.