Court convicts two for impersonating EFCC officers

Haruna Mamuda and Sadiq Umar have been convicted by the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jikwoyi, Abuja, for impersonating Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officers and defrauding the public. Justice M. Zubairu convicted the duo on Thursday on five counts, including impersonation, criminal conspiracy, and unlawful representation.

The charges state that the convicts, along with a third individual currently on trial, conspired in March 2026 to falsely present themselves as EFCC officers. This act violated Section 96 of the Penal Code Act and is punishable under Section 132 of the same act. Umar, also known as Abubakar Hashimu Umar, was specifically accused of defrauding unsuspecting members of the public in his assumed capacity.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to all charges. The prosecution urged the court to convict them accordingly. The defense counsel pleaded for leniency, highlighting Mamuda's remorse, family status, and cooperation with investigators, and noting Umar had no prior criminal record. The prosecution countered that Mamuda was a dismissed Nigerian Army member and that the defendants were also facing charges related to terrorism financing and kidnapping.

Justice Zubairu adjourned the sentencing to July 22, 2026, and ordered that the defendants remain in EFCC custody. The court's decision serves as a warning against impersonation and fraud targeting the public.

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My Lord, the first defendant is a dismissed member of the Nigerian Army. His sentence will serve as a deterrent to society at large. I also want the court to factor in that they were brought in from the Department of State Services, where they are being charged with terrorism financing and kidnapping.