Tunde Bakare
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arraigned Maryam Isah Shehu and Abubakar Shuraim Abdulhamad before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja for alleged cybercrime and peddling malicious information against the Commission.
While Shehu was arraigned on Thursday, August 20, 2026, on amended one-count charge, bordering on cybercrime and wilful character assassination of the Commission via her Instagram handle. Abdulhamad was arraigned on one-count charge bordering on cybercrime and criminal fabrication of the identity of the EFCC.
The charge Shehu reads: “That you Maryam Isah Shehu on or about the 21st June 2026, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally sent a message by means of a social network service via your Instagram account (@maryamshehu) containing a message which was intended to tarnish the reputation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, when you published that EFCC officials assaulted Ahmed Uthman under the instruction of a Zonal Director who allegedly collected N20,000,000.00 (Twenty Million Naira) from one Usman lya Abbas and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24(2) (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended) 2024 and punishable under Section 24 (2) (c) (ii) of the same Act.”
The charge Abdulhamad reads: “That you Abubakar Shuralm Abdulhamid, sometime in May, 2026 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally sent a message by means of a social network service via your X (formerly known as Twitter) account (@shuraimi) containing a message which was intended to tarnish the reputation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, when you published an image fabricated to resemble an official arrest placard of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, depicting one Sadeeq Kabeer as a suspect arrested by the Commission with the inscription “His only crime was selling laptops at affordable price to student” as his purported offence, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24(2) (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended) 2024 and punishable under Section 24 (2) (c) (ii) of the same
They pleaded “not guilty” following which the prosecution counsel, Elizabeth Alabi asked the court for a trial date and for Shehu to be remanded in the Suleja Correctional Centre, Niger State. Counsel to Shehu, C.O. Amalaha informed the court of her bail application and prayed the court to admit her client to bail on liberal terms. Also, counsel to Abdulhamad, Adamu K. Adamu informed the court of his bail application and prayed that the defendant be remanded in EFCC’s custody.
Justice Abdulmalik ordered that Shehu be remanded in the Suleja Correctional Centre, Abdulhamad at Kuje Correctional centre and adjourned the matter till August 31, 2026, for hearing of their bail applications and commencement of trial.
The arraignment of the defendants was underscored by the need to bring alleged blackmailers, fabricators and wilful image-tarnishers of the EFCC to justice.