The Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Sadi Babale before the Borno State High Court over an alleged ₦19 million fraud involving the sale of plots of land.
Babale was brought before Justice Aisha Kumaliya on a one-count charge of criminal misappropriation.
According to the EFCC, the defendant allegedly dishonestly converted ₦19 million belonging to one Alhaji Tijjani Mohammed to his personal use in September 2024.
The charge reads: “That you, Sadi Babale, sometimes in September, 2024 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did dishonestly misappropriated the total sum of N19, 000,000.00 (Nineteen Million Naira) money belonging to one Alhaji Tijjani Mohammed and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 296 and punishable under section 297 of the Penal Code Laws of Borno State.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, asked the court to fix a date for trial and remand the defendant in a correctional facility pending further proceedings.
Counsel to the defendant, J. Yakubu, informed the court of his intention to move an application for Babale’s bail.
Justice Kumaliya adjourned the matter until July 28, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Maiduguri Maximum Correctional Facility.
According to the EFCC, the case originated from a petition alleging that Babale received ₦19 million from the complainant for the purchase of four plots of land.
Investigators alleged that the land was not genuine and that the defendant converted the money to his personal use instead of completing the transaction.
