Two men, Shehu Abdu and Isah Saidu, have been arraigned before the Kaduna State High Court for allegedly posing as fake sureties to secure the release of a Chinese national wanted for illegal mining and economic sabotage.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged the suspects on Monday, June 2, with giving false information to a public servant under Section 105(a) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.
EFCC investigations revealed that Abdu and Saidu claimed to be close associates of Ji Zhou, the Chinese national, and pledged to produce him whenever called upon after he was granted “administrative bail.” The duo signed a ₦10 million bail bond to that effect.
However, when EFCC later sought to locate Zhou, Abdu and Saidu recanted, admitting under interrogation that they had never met him.
“His lawyer paid us ₦40,000 each to pose as sureties,” they confessed, the Commission said in a statement on Tuesday.
The EFCC condemned the move, stating Zhou’s release would not have been possible if the truth had been disclosed earlier.
Both suspects pleaded “not guilty” to the charges. Prosecuting counsel, Y.J. Matiyak, urged the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendants in custody pending trial.
Justice A. Isiaka adjourned the case to June 16, 2025, for ruling on their bail applications and ordered that they be remanded at the Kaduna Correctional Centre.
Meanwhile, the EFCC has launched a nationwide manhunt for Ji Zhou, who remains at large. The case underscores a troubling vulnerability within the judicial system, where “rented sureties” facilitate the escape of suspects.
An EFCC official, speaking anonymously, warned: “This case exposes how illegal miners and economic saboteurs exploit loopholes to evade justice. We are determined to close these gaps and bring all offenders to book.”
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