A Federal High Court sitting in Gombe, presided over by Justice TG Ringim, has ordered the remand of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MB Lugga Global Travels and Tours, Mustapha Mohammed, in connection with an alleged N144,162,500 fraud involving Hajj pilgrims.
The defendant was arraigned by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on three counts of intent to defraud and obtaining money by false pretenses.
The charges stem from transactions conducted through Mohammed’s personal Access Bank account, where he allegedly collected funds from individuals for flight tickets, visas, and accommodation for the 2024 Ramadan Lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia but failed to fulfill his obligations.
Count one of the charge sheet states: “That you, Mustapha Mohammed, male adult, while being the Chief Executive Officer of MB Lugga Global Travel and Tours Limited and Nazifi Sale Idris (now at large), sometimes in 2024 at Gombe, Gombe State within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, did with intent to defraud falsely obtain through your personal Access Bank plc account number 0026323827, the total sum of N97,080,000.00 (Ninety-Seven Million, Eighty Thousand Naira) from one Hamza Ibrahim Maina for the purpose of procurement of flight tickets, visas, and accommodation for the 2024 Ramadan Lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offenses Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Another count alleges that between December 2023 and February 2024, Mohammed fraudulently obtained N29,082,500 (Twenty-Nine Million, Eighty-Two Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) from one Ibrahim Arabia under similar pretenses.
Following Mohammed’s plea, prosecution counsel, SH Saad, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant at the Gombe State Correctional Facility.
Defense counsel, MZ Gambo, however, filed a motion for bail, which was vehemently opposed by the prosecution.
Saad argued that granting bail would jeopardize the case. He stated, “My Lord, the defendant still has about eight other pending petitions filed by different nominal complainants alleging that he defrauded them to the aggregate sum of N120,869,500. If granted bail, he might flee the country and may never be found again. Therefore, for the interest of justice, we urge my Lord not to grant the defendant bail.”
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Ringim adjourned the case for a ruling on the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Gombe State Correctional Facility pending further notice.
