The Federal High Court in Gombe, presided over by Justice T.G. Ringin, has sentenced three security officers to seven years in prison for their involvement in a N1.64 million employment fraud scheme.
The convicts—Yusuf AbdulKarim Bature and Musa Philip, both officers of the Nigeria Police Force, and Nasiru Mohammed, an officer with the Nigerian Immigration Service—were found guilty on November 26, 2024.
Bature and Philip faced a two-count charge of obtaining money by false pretenses with intent to defraud, while Mohammed was charged with a single count of obtaining money under false pretenses. The case was prosecuted by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court heard that in 2022, Bature and Philip fraudulently obtained N970,000 from one Asabe Hamed under the guise of securing a job for her. Similarly, Mohammed collected N670,000 from Abdul Rahman Abubakar and Akwalo Adamu, promising them employment with the Nigerian Immigration Service.
Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded guilty. Prosecuting counsel, Tortema Joshua, urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. Defense counsels, Babangida Mohammed and K.K. Jomoh, pleaded for leniency, noting that the defendants were first-time offenders and remorseful.
Justice Ringin sentenced each defendant to seven years imprisonment, with an option of a N50,000 fine. Additionally, the court ordered them to pay full restitution of N1.64 million to the victims and sign an undertaking to maintain good conduct.
The conviction follows investigations that began in February 2024, when the victims reported that the officers had neither secured the promised jobs nor refunded their payments.
