Goni Yilkan, a former legislative aide and banker has been jailed by the Federal Capital Territory Excessive Courtroom sitting in Jabi, Abuja for acquiring by false pretence the sum of N120.5 million.
The {Economic} and {Financial} Crimes Fee (EFCC), on Monday, September 22, 2025, secured the conviction earlier than Justice F. E. Messiri.
Yilkan, a local of Nguru, Yobe State, was discovered responsible on a two-count cost of acquiring cash by false pretence, opposite to Part 1(1)(a) of the Advance Price Fraud and Different Associated Offences Act, 2006, and punishable below Part 1(3) of the identical Act. He was consequently sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment with out an choice of superb.
The convict was arraigned alongside Mohammed Adamu in October 2023, following investigations right into a petitioner’s allegation of being defrauded by Yilkan.
In accordance with the petitioner, Yilkan deceived her between 2020 and 2021 into believing he might safe employment slots in authorities companies such because the Federal Inland Income Service (FIRS), Central {Bank} of Nigeria (CBN), and Niger Delta Growth Fee (NDDC).
Performing on this false assurance, the petitioner collected various sums of cash from over 60 jobseekers amounting to N120,580,550.00 (One Hundred and Twenty Million, 5 Hundred and Eighty Thousand, 5 Hundred and Fifty Naira), which she allegedly handed over to Yilkan.
Nonetheless, the promised employment alternatives by no means materialized, prompting Bello to petition the EFCC.
One of many prices learn: “That you just, Mohammed Goni Yilkan, Mohammed Adamu and others at giant between third January 2020 and December 2021 in Abuja throughout the jurisdiction of the Excessive Courtroom of the Federal Capital Territory with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N120,580,550 (One Hundred and Twenty Million, 5 Hundred and Eighty Thousand, 5 Hundred and Fifty Naira) from Mrs. Hindatu Bello below the false pretence that you just had the capability to safe jobs for her candidates in numerous Ministries, Departments and Companies of the Federal Authorities of Nigeria which pretence you knew to be false and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to Part 1(1)(a) of the Advance Price Fraud and Different Associated Offences Act, 2006 and punishable below Part 1(3) of the identical Act.”
In the course of the trial, the EFCC prosecution staff, led by Cosmas Ugwu, referred to as six witnesses and tendered a number of paperwork, whereas the defence staff, led by J.A. Oguche, offered two witnesses, together with Yilkan himself.
In his judgment, Justice Messiri dominated that the prosecution had established its case past cheap doubt. He convicted Yilkan however discharged and acquitted his co-defendant, Adamu. The choose thereafter sentenced Yilkan to eight years’ imprisonment with out an choice of superb.
Yilkan’s conviction adopted his fraudulent assortment of N120.5 million from determined job seekers below the guise of securing employment slots—neither delivering the roles nor refunding the cash.