By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned one Alhaji Muhammad Talake before the Borno State High Court sitting in Maiduguri over an alleged ₦3.8 million property fraud involving a purported Federal Government property sale.
Talake was docked before Justice Aisha Kumaliya on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence and criminal misappropriation.
According to the anti-graft agency, the defendant allegedly obtained ₦3.8 million from one Muhammad Umar Ali Abatcha in March 2025 under the pretext of facilitating the purchase of a property located at Old Government Reservation Area (GRA), Circular Road, Maiduguri, which he falsely claimed had been put up for sale by the Federal Government.
One of the charges reads:
“That you, Alhaji Muhammad Talake, on or about March, 2025 in Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the aggregate sum of ₦3,800,000 from one Muhammad Umar Ali Abatcha under the false pretence that same is meant for the purchase of a property purportedly being a property put up for sale by the Federal Government of Nigeria, a representation which you knew to be false.”
The EFCC said the alleged offence contravenes the provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and other relevant laws.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel, S. O. Saka, urged the court to fix a date for trial and remand the defendant in a correctional facility pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
Justice Kumaliya subsequently adjourned the matter until August 10, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Maiduguri Maximum Correctional Centre.
According to the EFCC, the prosecution followed a petition alleging that Talake fraudulently obtained the complainant’s money by falsely representing that he could facilitate the purchase of a Federal Government property.
The Commission said its investigation revealed that the property in question was never offered for sale by the Federal Government, leading to the defendant’s arraignment.
The case will proceed after the court hears and determines the defendant’s application for bail.