Amidat Abdul Fatai
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has remanded Arinze Nwogba in the Kuje Correctional Centre over allegations that he impersonated the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Segun Aina, to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
Justice Salim Ibrahim ordered Nwogba’s remand on Friday pending his ruling on the defendant’s bail application.
The judge fixed October 7, 2026, for ruling on the bail application and adjourned the case until October 19 for commencement of trial.
Nwogba, who was arraigned on a six-count charge filed by the Inspector-General of Police, pleaded not guilty to all six counts.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/612/2026, was dated September 18 and filed on September 21 by the police through their counsel, Samuel Mallum.
The prosecution alleged that Nwogba, alongside other suspects said to be at large, fraudulently impersonated Aina sometime in 2026 and used the JAMB registrar’s name and photograph on WhatsApp and Truecaller in an attempt to obtain financial advantage.
The alleged offences were said to contravene provisions of Section 22(3)(a)(b) and (4) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.
During Friday’s proceedings, the police prosecutor, Nonso Eleodimuo, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for Nwogba’s arraignment.
After the charges were read to him, the defendant entered a not-guilty plea.
His lawyer, Christian Ejike, subsequently drew the court’s attention to a bail application filed on September 23, informing the judge that the prosecution had been served and had responded.
Ejike urged the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms.
However, Eleodimuo urged the court to reject the application.
In a counter-affidavit deposed to by Gregory Woje, a clerk at the Directorate of Legal Services, Force Headquarters, Abuja, the police argued that several paragraphs in Nwogba’s affidavit in support of bail were false and speculative.
The prosecution further alleged that granting the defendant bail could create a possibility of him evading justice and failing to appear for trial.
The police maintained that all necessary exhibits and witnesses were ready and that the case could be prosecuted expeditiously.
After listening to arguments from both sides, Justice Ibrahim reserved his ruling on bail until October 7.
According to the prosecution’s brief facts, the investigation followed a petition submitted to the Inspector-General of Police by the JAMB registrar over the alleged activities of individuals who were using his name and photographs without his authorisation.
The police alleged that the suspects registered the telephone number 08139433155 and used it on WhatsApp and Truecaller while presenting themselves as the JAMB registrar.
The number was also allegedly advertised on LinkedIn, with members of the public directed to contact the purported registrar through WhatsApp.
The prosecution said investigators subsequently engaged the alleged fraudsters through the advertised WhatsApp number.
According to the police account, the person behind the account claimed to be the JAMB registrar and allegedly told prospective victims that he had secured approval for a contract involving the supply of 200 HP laptops as part of a digitisation programme.
The alleged impersonator was also said to have claimed that the Federal Ministry of Education had approved the contract.
The prosecution further alleged that the suspect provided the telephone number of a purported personal assistant identified as Dr Stephen Igwe, who was allegedly to handle arrangements for the supposed contract.
The police alleged that the suspect demanded an initial ₦900,000, described in the messages as money for a “handshake”, and subsequently requested another ₦3 million, allegedly purported to be for the Permanent Secretary and Minister of Education.
The prosecution also alleged that an Access Bank account was supplied for the payment, with the account name given as Edeh Chimezie Benedict.
According to the police, the alleged suspect said the initial ₦900,000 would be used to bribe officials at the minister’s office.
The prosecution said Nwogba, whose alleged operational name was Dr Stephen Igwe, was eventually arrested in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
The police alleged that during investigation, Nwogba claimed the bank account details belonged to his late nephew, who reportedly died in April 2026 and was buried on July 31.
The police further alleged that Nwogba admitted forwarding the account details to his cousin, identified as Nnabuiife Nwekpa M., of Onitsha, Anambra State, for use in the alleged fraudulent operation.
Nwekpa, according to the prosecution, is currently at large.
The police said efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspect.
Meanwhile, Nwogba remains in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the court’s ruling on his bail application on October 7, with trial scheduled to commence on October 19, 2026.
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