The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned two persons before a Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged cybercrime and false claims against the agency.
The EFCC disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, identifying the defendants as Maryam Isah Shehu and Abubakar Shuraim Abdulhamad, who were arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Shehu faced an amended one-count charge over an Instagram publication the commission said was intended to damage its reputation, while Abdulhamad was charged over an alleged fabricated EFCC arrest placard shared on X.
The EFCC alleged that Shehu, on June 21, 2026, published a message on her Instagram account, @maryamshehu, claiming that EFCC officials assaulted Ahmed Uthman on the instruction of a Zonal Director who allegedly collected N20 million from one Usman Iya Abbas.
The commission said the publication amounted to an offence under Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.
Abdulhamad was accused of posting, in May 2026, an image on his X account, @shuraimi, designed to resemble an official EFCC arrest placard.
The alleged publication depicted Sadeeq Kabeer as an EFCC suspect, with the inscription: “His only crime was selling laptops at affordable price to student.”
The EFCC said the alleged act also contravened Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes Act, as amended.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, Elizabeth Alabi, asked the court to fix a date for trial and sought Shehu’s remand at the Suleja Correctional Centre, Niger State.
Shehu’s lawyer, C.O. Amalaha, told the court that a bail application had been filed and urged the judge to release her client on liberal terms.
Counsel to Abdulhamad, Adamu K. Adamu, also informed the court of his bail application and asked that his client be kept in EFCC custody.
Justice Abdulmalik ordered that Shehu be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre, while Abdulhamad was sent to the Kuje Correctional Centre.
The judge adjourned the case until August 31, 2026, for hearing of the defendants’ bail applications and commencement of trial.
The cases form part of the EFCC’s effort to prosecute individuals it accuses of blackmail, fabrication and deliberate attempts to damage the commission’s public image.