Borno Court Sentences ‘Mama Boko Haram’ and Two Others to 14 Years for ₦11m Contract Scam

A Borno State High Court sitting in Maiduguri has once again convicted and sentenced Aisha Alkali Wakil, popularly known as “Mama Boko Haram,” along with her associates Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyode, to 14 years imprisonment each for their involvement in an ₦11 million contract fraud.

Justice Aisha Kumaliya delivered the ruling on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, following a long-drawn trial that began after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the trio on September 14, 2020.

The defendants, who held key positions at the NGO Complete Care and Aids Foundation—Wakil as CEO, Daura as Programme Manager, and Shoyode as Country Director—were charged with conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence.

According to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the convicts fraudulently collected ₦11 million from one Muhammed Ambare of Muhammed Ambare Ventures in July 2018, under the guise of supplying and servicing two X-ray machines. The contract turned out to be non-existent.

One of the charges read:

“That you, Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Saidu Daura, Prince Lawal Shoyode, and Saidu Mukhtar (now at large), with intent to defraud, obtained ₦11,000,000.00 from one Muhammed Ambare under the false pretence of executing a contract for supply, installation, and servicing of 2 units of X-Ray Machine Model 1800, which you knew to be false…”

Though the defendants initially pleaded not guilty, the prosecution—led by Mukhtar Ali Ahmed and S.O. Saka—presented witness testimony and documentary evidence that proved their case beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Kumaliya found the trio guilty on both counts and sentenced them to seven years on each count, to run concurrently. In addition, the court ordered them to jointly repay ₦8 million to the victim or serve an additional seven years in prison in default.

The judgment adds to a growing list of convictions against Wakil, once known for her peace advocacy efforts in Nigeria’s North-East. Despite her humanitarian image, she has faced several fraud charges in recent years.