- Court Dismisses ₦80 Million Fraud Charges Against Retired ACP
- Judge ruled prosecution failed to prove case beyond reasonable doubt.
- Trial lasted nearly five years before final judgment.
The Adamawa State High Court has discharged and acquitted a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sheriff Abubakar Rabiu, of allegations bordering on the unlawful conversion of properties valued at ₦80 million.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Rabiu, who served as Chief Security Officer to former Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako, had been standing trial on charges of criminal breach of trust and related offences.
Delivering judgment on Friday, the Chief Judge of Adamawa State, Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman, ruled that the prosecution failed to prove any of the five charges against the former police officer beyond a reasonable doubt.
“The prosecution has failed to prove the ingredients of the offences charged beyond a reasonable doubt,” the judge held before discharging and acquitting Rabiu on all five counts.
Justice Abdulrahman said the Adamawa State Government failed to present credible and convincing evidence capable of sustaining the charges against the defendant.
The case arose from allegations involving two landed properties valued at about ₦80 million and complaints linked to Rabiu’s former principal.
Reacting to the judgment, Rabiu’s counsel, Roland Emem, described the verdict as a victory for justice.
Emem commended the Chief Judge for “standing firmly on the law despite the lengthy proceedings.”
The case dates back to November 2021, when the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested and detained Rabiu following a petition allegedly submitted on behalf of Sebore Farms Limited, a company linked to the Nyako family.
The petition accused the former police officer of fraudulently converting two landed properties worth ₦80 million.
According to the prosecution, Rabiu was directed, while serving as Nyako’s Chief Security Officer, to acquire the properties on behalf of Sebore Farms. It alleged that he later altered the ownership documents in favour of another company before selling the properties after Nyako’s impeachment in 2014.
Rabiu was arraigned before Justice Abdulrahman on November 12, 2021, in Suit No. HC/ADSY/77CA/2021 on a five count charge.
The arraignment was marked by drama after his initial counsel, Gabriel Adikwu, withdrew from the case in open court, alleging a breach of confidentiality after a memo he wrote to the DSS was leaked.
The court subsequently granted Rabiu bail on health grounds under strict conditions, including a ₦100 million bond and a reliable surety.
The trial lasted for several years and experienced multiple adjournments, many caused by the prosecution’s inability to produce witnesses.
In July 2022, proceedings were stalled after the prosecution’s final witness failed to appear in court, resulting in another adjournment.
While opening his defence, Rabiu denied diverting the disputed properties, insisting that payments for the land were made from his personal bank account. He also challenged the prosecution’s ownership claims and presented evidence questioning the legal status of Sebore Farms Limited and Sebore Export Process Zone.
The matter continued into 2025 and early 2026 before both parties adopted their final written addresses.
With Friday’s judgment, the nearly five year legal battle has come to an end after the court held that the prosecution failed to establish its case against the retired police officer.
