EFCC Arrests Spiritualists over N16m Scam in Borno

EFCC Arrests Spiritualists over N16m  Scam in Borno

Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a self-acclaimed spiritualist, Mohammed Ibrahim, and his accomplice, Ibrahim Abubakar, for allegedly defrauding one Mohammed Gaji of N16 million under the guise of conducting spiritual prayers to make their victim rich.

A statement issued yesterday by the Head, Media and Publicity at the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspects were arrested by the operatives of the Borno State Command of the commission at Sabon Bolori in Maiduguri, in the course of investigation into a petition written against Mohammed Gaji, alleging that he misappropriated N22.2 million given to him by the petitioner, Mohammed Alhaji Bukar, to establish a cattle ranch business.

It was discovered that rather than invest the money as planned, Gaji gave Mohammed Ibrahim, (the spiritualist) N16million out of the N22.2million for prayers so that he could get rich.

Upon Gaji’s arrest, he admitted squandering the money given to him for business, confessing further that N16 million was given to the spiritualists who promised to make him rich.

Uwujaren said during the raid, a large hole covered with animal skin with a centre table placed on it was discovered in the room, where Mohammed’s accomplice, Abubakar, used as a hiding place, pretending to be a ‘genie’.

Gaji claimed that he was given a precious stone, a small iron box containing a white piece of cloth and some foreign currencies with instructions to fast for three months and one day before he could get rich.

Items recovered from the spiritualists included white pieces of clothes with Arabic inscriptions, calabashes, animal skins, animal horn, foreign currencies and two small iron boxes.

Uwujaren said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.

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