Court has jailed Ex-Legislative Aide and a Banker 8 Years for ₦120.5m Job Scam.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Jabi, Abuja, has sentenced former legislative aide and banker, Mr. Goni Yilkan, to eight years in prison for his role in a ₦120.5 million employment scam.
Justice F. E. Messiri delivered the judgment on Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Yilkan, from Nguru in Yobe State, was arraigned by the EFCC’s Ilorin Zonal Directorate in October 2023 alongside one Mohammed Adamu. He was charged with obtaining money under false pretence, contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
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Investigations revealed that Yilkan deceived a petitioner between 2020 and 2021 into believing he could secure employment slots in key government agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Based on this false claim, the petitioner collected contributions from over 60 job seekers, amounting to ₦120,580,550, which she remitted to Yilkan. However, the promised jobs never materialised.
During trial, EFCC counsel Cosmas Ugwu presented six witnesses and documentary evidence linking Yilkan to the fraud. The defence, led by J.A. Oguche, called two witnesses, including Yilkan himself, in an attempt to refute the allegations.
Despite his denial, Justice Messiri ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court convicted Yilkan but acquitted his co-defendant, Mohammed Adamu. Yilkan was subsequently sentenced to eight years in prison without the option of a fine.
The EFCC, in its statement, reiterated its commitment to protecting Nigerians from fraudsters exploiting desperate job seekers with false employment promises.
