EFCC Arraigns Woman Over Alleged ₦32m Oil Scam In Kano

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Kaduna State Command, has accused one Wasila Musa Ibrahim and her company, Najaatu Petroleum Limited, of money laundering and tax evasion.

Naija News understands that the anti-graft agency on Thursday, arraigned the suspect before Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Kano.

The complainant according to reports, alleged that sometime in 2020 the defendant approached him with a business proposal for the supply of Diesel and Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to a company known as Lee Group.

Ibrahim in the name of her company reportedly collected a sum of Thirty-Eight Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N38, 200,000.00) from the complainant and his family members to execute the said business but diverted the money for her personal use.

Having learnt of the development, the complainant reportedly requested a refund, but the defendant told him she had given the money to one Alhaji Lawan who allegedly absconded and could not be reached.

However, after a series of investigations, it was discovered that the defendant never invested the sum of money as claimed.

EFCC amid investigation also discovered that Ibrahim’s company, Najaatu Petroleum Limited had evaded tax payment from January 2013 to 2020.

One of the twelve counts charges against the defendant reads: “That you, Wasila Musa Ibrahim “F”, sometime in October 2020, in Kano within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did make a cash payment of the sum of N38,200,000.00 (Thirty-Eight Million and Two Hundred Thousand Naira) only to one Alhaji Lawan for the purchase of five (5) trucks of Diesel without passing through a financial institution and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 16(2) (b) of the same Act.”

Another read: “That you, Wasila Musa Ibrahim “F”, Managing Director of Najaatu Petroleum Limited and Najaatu Petroleum Limited sometime in January, 2013 in Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did fail to pay your company income tax for the year 2013 to the Federal Inland Revenue Service and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 9 (1) (a) of the Companies Income Tax Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 82 of the same Act”.

However, the defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges before the court.

On his part, the prosecution counsel, Y. J. Matiyak, after the defendant declaration, prayed the court to fix a date for hearing and remand the defendant in the EFCC custody.

However, in his defence, Ibrahim’s legal counsel, Suleiman Abdulrahim informed the court of a pending application for bail of the defendant and asked that his client be admitted to bail, a request opposed by Matiyak.

After hearing from both sides, the court judge, Justice Yunusa adjourned the matter till February 8, 2022, for a hearing of bail application and remanded the defendant in EFCC custody.