A Borno State High Court has sentenced CEO Alhaji Bashir Tanko to 21 years imprisonment for N33.5m fraud, while another individual was arraigned for an alleged N5.6m land fraud

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n a significant move against financial crimes, Justice Mohammed Maina of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri, has convicted and sentenced Alhaji Bashir Tanko, Chief Executive Officer of SAHEL BUILDING AND ENGINEERING COMPANY LIMITED, to twenty-one years imprisonment for criminal misappropriation totaling N33.5 million.

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This judgment was handed down following his re-arraignment by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on November 18, 2024.

The charge against Tanko detailed that he, as the CEO and alter ego of his company, dishonestly misappropriated N33,500,000.00 out of N38,500,000.00 paid into his company’s Access Bank account by a Non-Governmental Organisation (ACTED), with the funds belonging to one ANNUR ADAM.

This action was deemed contrary to Section 308 and punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Cap. 102 Laws of Borno State of Nigeria.

Despite pleading not guilty, the prosecution, led by Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, S.O Saka, Faruk Muhammad, and Abdulmalik D. Aliyu, presented six witnesses and numerous documents as exhibits during the trial.

Justice Maina ultimately convicted Tahir, sentencing him to one year imprisonment with an option of a N200,000 fine.

Crucially, the judge further ordered Tanko to restitute the petitioner the sum of N33,500,000.00, with a default sentence of twenty years imprisonment if the restitution is not made.

Tanko’s path to the Correctional Centre began when he diverted monies intended for a contract executed by the petitioner using his company.

That you, Bashir Tanko Tahir whilst being the Chief Executive Officer and Alter Ego of SAHEL BUILDING AND ENGINEERING COMPANY LIMITED… did dishonestly misappropriated the entire sum of N33,500,000.00…

In a separate but related development, the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the EFCC also arraigned one Ibrahim Aisami on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court.

Aisami faces a two-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N5,600,000.00.

The charge against Aisami alleges that he obtained the sum of N5,600,000.00 belonging to Kellu Mohammed, transferred from Modu Mohammed’s Zenith Bank account into Aisami’s own Zenith Bank account, purportedly for the purchase of land at Jere Local Government.

The EFCC alleges Aisami knew this representation to be false, committing an offence contrary to Section 1(1) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.

Aisami pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecution counsel, Aliyu D. Abdulmalik, requested a trial date and that the defendant be remanded.

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Justice Kumaliya subsequently adjourned the case until May 26, 2025, for the hearing of the bail application, and ordered Aisami’s remand in the Maiduguri Correctional Centre.

Aisami’s legal troubles began after he allegedly received N5.6 million for a plot of land he failed to provide.