Damaturu Court Jails Abubakar Sadiq 37 Years Over N29 Million Fake Procurement Deal

Damaturu, Yobe State, Nigeria | April 24, 2026

A High Court sitting in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, has sentenced Abubakar Sadiq Abubakar to a cumulative 37 years imprisonment for defrauding victims of over N29 million through a fake procurement deal involving the supply of sorghum.

The judgment was delivered by Lawu Lawan of the Yobe State High Court, following prosecution by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The convict was found guilty on four counts bordering on obtaining by false pretence, forgery, and criminal misappropriation. The court heard that he falsely presented himself as a procurement officer of BUA Foods Plc to deceive his victims into parting with the sum of N29,175,000 for the supposed supply of 38.9 metric tonnes of white sorghum.

During the trial, prosecution counsel Mukhtar Ali Ahmed informed the court that five witnesses were called and multiple documents tendered as evidence. These included forged agreements, receipts, and company documents used by the convict to perpetrate the fraud.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered the convict to refund the full sum of N29,175,000 to the victims or face an additional 10-year jail term.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission stated that the conviction highlights its continued efforts to combat procurement fraud and protect businesses and individuals from financial crimes, particularly in the North-East region.

The judgment serves as a deterrent to would-be offenders and reinforces the commitment of law enforcement agencies to ensuring accountability and justice in cases of economic and financial crimes.