The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Datau Irimiya Dangyil, Joshua Ayuba Dodo, Lekan Tosin Olatoye, and Caleb Akanmu Kayode before Justices Amina Bello and A. Isiaka of the Kaduna State High Court on charges related to fraudulent asset declarations.
Dangyil, Dodo, and Olatoye were arraigned before Justice Bello, while Kayode appeared before Justice Isiaka. Each defendant faced a separate one-count charge on Wednesday, 18 June 2025, for allegedly failing to fully declare their assets to the Commission.
The charge against Dangyil states: “That you, Datau Irimiya Dangyil, on or about 26 May 2025, at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly made a false declaration when you failed to declare your interest in Account No: 8141229021 in your name, Datau Irimiya Dangyil, domiciled with Palmpay Limited, in the Declaration of Assets Form of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27(3)(a) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.”
Similarly, the charge against Olatoye reads: “That you, Lekan Tosin Olatoye, on or about 27 May 2025, at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly made a false declaration when you failed to declare your interest in Account No: 7046305398 in your name, Lekan Tosin Olatoye, domiciled with Palmpay Limited, in the Declaration of Assets Form of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27(3)(a) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.”
All four defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following the plea, the prosecution counsel, Moses O. Arumemi, applied for a trial date and requested the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility. Defence counsel Solomon Ologbondiyan and E.B. Abichele, however, requested that the court grant their clients bail.
Justice Amina Bello granted bail to Olatoye, Dodo, and Dangyil in the sum of ₦500,000 each, with one surety each in like sum. The sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction. Additionally, each defendant is required to present a valid National Identity Card and a utility bill covering the last three months. The court scheduled the commencement of trial for 15, 16, and 23 October 2025.
Justice Isiaka, presiding over Kayode’s case, ordered his remand in a correctional centre and adjourned proceedings until 2 July 2025 for the hearing of his bail application.
The defendants were apprehended following actionable intelligence which revealed that they had been operating an unlicensed school in Minna, Niger State. Investigations also uncovered their failure to properly disclose their assets in the EFCC’s mandatory declaration forms.