EFCC Sues Former CCT Chairman Danladi Umar Over ‘$15.5 Million Fraud’

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, arraigned former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Yakubu Umar, for fraud before Justice UP Kekemeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, Abuja.

A press release by the Commission spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, in Abuja, said: “The accused, who was also the member of the CCT President’s tender committee, has been arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on nepotism, conferring corrupt advantage on himself, amounting to N15,587,833.76 (fifteen million five hundred and eighty-seven thousand eight hundred and thirty-three naira, seventy-six kobo).

He said one of the charges reads: “That you, Danladi Yakubu Umar, while serving as the President of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Chairman of the Bidding Council of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, on or about the 5th of October, 2021, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, conferred on yourself a corrupt and unfair advantage by causing the sum of N5.5 million (five million, five hundred thousand Naira only) to be paid to your wife, Zulaihatu Danladi Umar, through his Keystone Bank Account No. 6031167105 from Kurchmives International Limited, a subcontractor under the contract awarded by the Code of Conduct Tribunal to Momanaf Global Ventures Limited for interior and exterior painting of the premises of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, and has thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Act, 2000, and punishable thereunder section.”

Oyewale said count two reads: “That you, Danladi Yakubu Umar, while serving as the President of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Chairman of the Bidding Council of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, on or about the 25th of January, 2024, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, gave yourself a corrupt and unfair advantage by causing the sum of N6,000,000.00 (six million naira only) to be paid to his wife, Zulaihatu Danladi Umar, through her Zenith bank account no. 2085458208 from Portal Realities Limited, a sister company of JTF Global Links Limited, a company which was awarded the contract for the digitization of Code of Conduct Tribunal management records by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, and which has thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Act, 2000, and punishable under the same section.”

The spokesperson said the accused pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him, prompting the prosecution lawyer, Christopher Mshelia, to ask the court for a trial date and remand the accused to Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, while the defense lawyer, S. Edward, asked for the accused to be bailed.

The judge adjourned the matter to July 15, 2026, for hearing on the bail application and ordered that the accused be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.