Alleged Forgery: Ex-NIRSAL MD’s Trial Stalled Due to Judge’s Absence
The trial of Aliyu Abdulhameed, a former Managing Directing, Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) Plc at Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, was stalled due to the absence of Justice In Yang Ekwo.
The matter, which was on number two on the day’s cause list, could not proceed as Justice Ekwo was said to be in another official engagement.
The case was subsequently fixed for November 25 for commencement of trial.
Abdulhameed and his co-defendant, Babangida Abdullahi, were arraigned on March 13 on a 10-count charge before the judge but pleaded not guilty to the counts.
They were, however, admitted to terms of administrative bail earlier granted to them by the police.
The criminal charge, dated and filed November 28, 2023 by CSP Celestine Odo, Legal/Prosecution Counsel of the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, was marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/555/2023.
In the charge, the defendants and others now at large, were alleged to have, about October 23, 2023, conspired among themselves to commit an offence of forgery.
In count two, the defendants and others now at large, sometime in October 23, 2023, were alleged to have conspired among themselves to commit the offence.
The offences are said to be contrary to Section 3(6) and punishable under Section 1(2){c} of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari had, on December 1, 2022, fired Abdulhammed on allegations of corruption bordering on agric loans.
NIRSAL, a $500 million non-bank financial institution, is a creation of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) mandated to manage agribusiness-related credit risks in Nigeria.
