BDC Operator Charged With N104.3m fraud

The Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Lagos, yesterday arraigned a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator, Nura Abdullahi, at the Federal High Court in Lagos for alleged conspiracy, fraud and stealing of N104,325,680.

Prosecution counsel Anthony Ideye alleged that sometime in May this year, Abdullahi obtained the Euros equivalent of N156,325,680, from one Bashiru Yusuf, under the false pretence of converting same to naira.

Ideye, a Superintendent of Police (Supol), alleged that after obtaining the money, the defendant reimbursed N52 million to the complainant and refused to pay the balance of N104, 325, 680 million.

According to the prosecutor, this was an offence that contravened Sections 1(3) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act, 2006 and Section 390(8)(c) of the Criminal Code Act, 2004.

The defendant pleaded not guilty.

His counsel Charles Idehen prayed to admit his client bail “in the most liberal terms”, adding that Abdullahi had been in police custody for over a month.

Justice Osiagor  granted Abdullahi bail in the sum of N20million with a surety in the like sum.

He remanded him in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), and adjourned till November 10.