EFCC arraigns two over cybercrime, false claims against commission

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned Maryam Isah Shehu and Abubakar Shuraim Abdulhamad before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged cybercrime and publication of information intended to damage the commission’s reputation.

The defendants were arraigned separately on Thursday before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.

Shehu faces an amended one-count charge over an Instagram post in which she allegedly claimed that EFCC officials assaulted one Ahmed Uthman on the instruction of a zonal director who purportedly collected N20 million from another individual.

The EFCC alleged that the publication, made on June 21, 2026, was intended to tarnish the commission’s reputation and contravened Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.

Abdulhamad was arraigned on a separate one-count charge over an alleged fabricated image posted on his X account in May 2026.

According to the EFCC, the image was designed to resemble an official EFCC arrest placard and depicted one Sadeeq Kabeer as a suspect allegedly arrested for selling laptops to students at affordable prices.

The commission alleged that the publication was intended to damage its reputation and also violated the Cybercrimes Act.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following their pleas, EFCC counsel, Elizabeth Alabi, requested trial dates and asked the court to remand Shehu in the Suleja Correctional Centre.

Counsel to Shehu, C.O. Amalaha, informed the court of her client’s bail application and urged the judge to grant her bail on liberal terms.

Counsel to Abdulhamad, Adamu K. Adamu, also informed the court of his bail application and requested that his client be remanded in EFCC custody.

Justice Abdulmalik ordered that Shehu be remanded at Suleja Correctional Centre and Abdulhamad at Kuje Correctional Centre.

The court adjourned the case until August 31, 2026, for hearing of the defendants’ bail applications and commencement of trial.