A Nigerian lawyer from Kaduna State, the Centre of Learning, Steve Adamu, has been remanded in custody after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him on a charge of providing false information.
The case, according to a statement issued by the EFCC, was brought before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court.
The defendant faced a single count, which states that “on or about the 15th day of September, 2022, in Kaduna, Kaduna State… wilfully gave false information to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission… which information you knew to be false…” in violation of Section 16(1) of the EFCC Act, 2004.
Adamu entered a plea of “not guilty”. The prosecution counsel, M.E. Eimonye, requested a date for trial, while the defence lawyer urged the court to grant bail.
Justice Khobo ordered his remand at the Nigerian Correctional Centre and adjourned proceedings to December 20, 2025, for the bail hearing.
Investigators traced the matter to a petition Adamu submitted to the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, accusing his landlord of possessing expensive vehicles and developing properties without a clear source of income. The EFCC stated that its findings showed the claims were false and malicious, leading to Adamu’s arrest and the current court action.
The statement released by the EFCC reads: “The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned a lawyer, Steve Adamu, before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna State, on a one-count charge of false information peddling.
“The charge reads: “That you Barrister Steve Adamu (m) on or about the 15th day of September, 2022 in Kaduna, Kaduna State, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, committed an offence to wit: wilfully gave false information to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which information was used to carry out investigation on your complaint to the Commission, which information you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 16(2) of the same Act.
“He pleaded “not guilty”, prompting the prosecution counsel, M.E. Eimonye, to ask the court for a trial date, while the defence counsel urged the court to grant the defendant bail.
“Justice Khobo, thereafter, ordered the remand of the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till December 20, 2025, for hearing of the bail application.
“The defendant’s road to the dock began with his petition to the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, in which he had alleged that his landlord had no visible means of livelihood, yet continually acquired costly automobiles and developed landed properties, all about town. However, investigations by the Commission proved the allegations to be false and malicious, prompting his arrest and prosecution.”
