Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, convicted and sentenced Aisha Alkali Wakil, popularly known as “Mama Boko Haram,” alongside Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyode, to fourteen years imprisonment each for fraud.
The trio faced a two-count charge brought by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N11 million.
According to the charge, the defendants, while serving respectively as CEO, Programme Manager, and Country Director of Complete Care and Aids Foundation (a non-governmental organization), fraudulently obtained N11 million from Muhammed Ambare of Muhammed Ambare Ventures in July 2018. The money was paid under the false pretense of executing a contract to supply, install, and service two units of X-Ray Machine Model 1800—an agreement that was never fulfilled.
During the trial, prosecution presented one witness and tendered several documents to prove the case. The defendants initially pleaded not guilty, but after full trial proceedings and multiple adjournments, Justice Kumaliya found them guilty on both counts.
The judge sentenced each defendant to seven years imprisonment per count, to run concurrently, totaling fourteen years. Additionally, the convicts were ordered to jointly and severally refund N8 million to the petitioner. Failure to do so would attract an additional seven years imprisonment.
The court found that the defendants transferred the contract sum into the account of Saidu Mukhtar (now at large), and neither executed the contract nor returned the money.
This conviction highlights continued efforts by Nigerian law enforcement to crack down on financial crimes and fraud within the public and private sectors.
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