The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, January 29, 2026, arraigned BFI Group Corporation and six others—Reuben M. Jaja, Uzor Chidi Jerry, David Femi James, Imeobong Jumbo Udom, Adeola Edward, and Emeka Emmanuel Okorie—before Justice M.S. Idris of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Jabi, Abuja, over an alleged €100 million fraud.
The defendants were arraigned on a five-count amended charge bordering on fraud, conspiracy, and false pretence.
At the proceedings, prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, drew the attention of the court to an amended charge dated January 27, 2026, and filed the same day, and urged the court to have the charge read to the defendants to enable them to take their pleas.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, BFI Group Corporation, Reuben M. Jaja, Uzor Chidi Jerry, David Femi James, Imeobong Jumbo Udom, Adeola Edward, Emeka Emmanuel Okorie, and other persons at large, between August 12, 2020 and March 2021, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, conspired among yourselves to induce the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to confer benefit on BFI Group Corporation by false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 8(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act.”
Count two reads: “That you, BFI Group Corporation and Reuben M. Jaja, between August 12, 2020 and March 2021, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, attempted to obtain a Certificate of Capital Importation for the sum of €100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Euros) in favour of BFI Group Corporation by falsely claiming that the said amount was paid into account number 010147-EUR-CDACBN-52 purportedly maintained by the Central Bank of Nigeria, when you knew that no such account existed, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 8(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to them. Following the pleas, the prosecution requested a trial date and time to respond to the bail applications filed by the defendants.
Speaking on behalf of the defence, Chinedu Eze, counsel to the first and second defendants, urged the court to entertain an oral bail application, citing Sections 32(1)–(3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, and Abiola v. FRN (1995).
He further prayed the court to grant the second defendant bail on self-recognition, describing him as a prominent traditional ruler.
Prosecution counsel objected, arguing that the authorities cited were inapplicable. He noted that the defendants were no longer suspects under investigation but were already before the court, adding that bail in criminal trials is governed by Section 162 of the ACJA.
“A suspect who has been charged is no longer a suspect but a defendant. The authorities cited by the defence do not apply. The bail applications are already before this court in writing, and the prosecution is entitled to respond. Turning around to request oral bail is inconsistent and prejudicial to fair hearing. Such an application is misplaced and should be discountenanced, my Lord,” Iheanacho argued.
Justice Idris thereafter adjourned the matter to February 3, 2026, for ruling and adoption of bail applications.
The court ordered that the fourth defendant be remanded in the EFCC custody, while the other defendants were remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.
