Nigeria’s Anti-graft Agency, EFCC Arraigns Ex-Vice-Chancellor For Alleged Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arraigned a former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Gusau, Magaji Garba for alleged fraud.
The former VC was arraigned on five counts of fraud including forgery and obtaining money by false pretences, Premium Times reports.
A statement by the anti-graft agency revealed that Garba was arraigned before a judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi, Abuja, Maryam Hassan-Aliyu.
The Professor was accused of extorting about N260 million from contractors on the pretext of awarding N3 billion contract for the perimeter wall fencing of the University.
Garba was a former lecturer in the Pharmacy Department of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, was appointed the vice-chancellor of the Federal University, Gusau, in February 2016.
He handed over after concluding his five-year tenure in February this year.
EFCC’s spokesman, Wilson Uwajaren noted that one of the offences contravenes section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
Count two is quoted as reading, “That you, Professor Magaji Garba, whilst being the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University, Gusau on or about the 15th of May, 2019 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Naira) from Alhaji Shehu Umar Sambo, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Ministaco Nigeria Limited, a contractor executing the construction of the Grand Convocation Square of the Federal University, Gusau under the false pretence of awarding a project for the perimeter wall fencing of the University valued at the total sum of N3,000,000,000.00 (Three Billion Naira) which representation/pretence you knew to be false.”
However, Garba pleaded ‘not guilty’ to all the five charges levelled against him.
Counsel for EFCC, Sylvanus Tahir, asked for a trial date, and requested that the defendant be remanded in prison custody.
But the counsel for the defendant, R. Usman, applied for the bail of his client.
The application was, however, opposed by the prosecuting counsel on the ground that he was only served around 10:33 am on Tuesday.
The judge then adjourned the matter till Thursday for hearing of the bail application and remanded the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
