Mama Boko Haram Bags Fresh 10-Year Jail While Serving 29 Years Imprisonment

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, secured the conviction of Aisha A. Wakil, popularly known as Mama Boko Haram.

Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court sitting in Maiduguri convicted and sentenced her alongside one Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Soyade to ten years imprisonment for N40 million fraud.

THE WHISTLER had reported that Mama Boko Haram had others were standing trial on charges bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N40m.

Prior to their arraignment, a petitioner, Bashir Muhammad, alleged that the trio swindled him through a purported contract for the supply of five (5) X-ray machines and solar energy to a non-governmental organisation (NGO) — Complete Care and Aid Foundation.

According to the petitioner, they neither supplied the machines nor returned the contract sum to the petitioner, leading to the lawsuit and their subsequent arraignment.

Count two of the charge reads: “That you Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyade whilst being the Chief Executive Officer, Programme Manager and Country Director respectively of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, (a Non-Governmental Organisation) and Saidu Mukhtar (At large) sometime in Maiduguri, Borno State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did with intent to defraud obtained the sum of Forty Million Naira (N40, 000, 000.00) from one Bashir Abubakar, the Chief Executive Officer of Duty Free Shop Ltd under the false pretence of executing a purported contract for the supply of Five (5) X-ray Machines 1900 with Solar Energy which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section (1) 1 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

The defendants had pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them, and the prosecution counsel, A.I Arogha, during trial presented four witnesses and tendered seventeen exhibits before the court.

Justice Fadawu convicted and sentenced Mama Boko Haram and the two others to 10 years imprisonment after finding them guilty as charged.

The court further ordered them to pay the sum of N40m to Bashir Muhammad.

“The prison term shall run concurrently on the expiration of all prison terms imposed on the convicts by any court”, the Judge said.

Recall that in December 2022, the Borno State High Court sentenced Mama Boko Haram to 10 years imprisonment for similar fraud.

The convict, alongside one Tahiru Daura and Prince Lawal, were accused of obtaining the sum of N45 million “from one Mohammed Umar Mohammed of Nyeuro International Limited under the false pretence of executing a purported contract of supply, installation and servicing of 10 pieces of Chison 600A, 2009 version deluxe ultrasound system”, in 2018.

Justice Aisha Kumaliya had held that the prosecution proved its case against the defendants and held that “The court hereby finds you Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Daura, Prince Lawal Shoyade guilty and convicted you as charged.”
Mama Boko Haram had prior to that bagged three convictions attracting a cumulative 19 years imprisonment.

In September 2022, she and two others were sentenced to 7 years in prison for defrauding victims of over N15 million..

In August 2022, a high court in Borno state sentenced her to 7 years in prison for defrauding victims of N66 million.

In June 2022, a court sentenced Mama Boko Haram to 5 years in prison for her involvement in a N71.4 million fraud scheme.