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Abubakar was also identified as one of the senior officers whose intimidation allegedly drove an EFCC operative to take his own life last year.
The newly appointed Acting Zonal Director of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Enugu, ACE I Aisha Abubakar, has been accused of shielding Enugu State officials allegedly involved in massive kickbacks linked to the fraud case against Sujimoto CEO, Mr. Sijibomi Ogundele.
Abubakar was also identified as one of the senior officers whose intimidation allegedly drove an EFCC operative to take his own life last year.
In May, SaharaReporters reported that SE John Obomeile Yamah, an operative of the Commission, died by suicide on July 1, 2024, at his Abuja residence. According to multiple EFCC sources, Yamah was subjected to intense workplace pressure, intimidation, and victimisation from two senior officials before his death.
Yamah, a member of Course 5, reportedly shot himself at home after coming under scrutiny for processing a letter to a commercial bank seeking the lifting of a Post-No-Debit (PND) order on an account that had been frozen for more than ten years.
The letter, insiders said, passed through the desks of Nurudeen Bello, then Head of Administration at the EFCC Headquarters Investigations Office, and Aisha Abubakar, who at the time was Zonal Commander of the Kaduna Command.
It was later used as the basis for an internal probe that targeted Yamah.
“John Yamah sent out the letter after it was cleared through proper channels, including Madam Aisha’s (Abubakar) office,” one insider told SaharaReporters.
“But when the bank wrote back to confirm the directive due to the age of the PND order, Madam Aisha denied knowledge of the letter, even though it came from her command.”
In what insiders described as a punitive move, Abubakar allegedly directed Bello to initiate an internal probe against Yamah, accusing him of acting without proper authorisation.
The resulting pressure and alleged scapegoating, sources said, worsened Yamah’s mental state and ultimately led to his suicide. It was learnt that Yamah’s death triggered outrage and deep concern among EFCC staff.
“The system failed him,” another source said. “He was harassed for doing his job.”
Another source who spoke to SaharaReporters recounted a disturbing conversation with Yamah the night before his death.
"John reached out to me around 10 pm the night before he committed suicide. He called me on my WhatsApp line and told me he was just leaving the office.
"From his voice, I could sense that he was in distress. He told me how Oga Nurudeen and Madam Aisha were trying to end his career at the Commission. He said he knelt for more than 30 minutes, crying and begging Oga Nurudeen and Madam Aisha to allow him to submit my resignation the following morning, but they refused and said he must go down, alone.
"I asked him what he meant by ‘go down alone’ and he started weeping and said his only offence was carrying out a lawful instruction," the source stated.
The following morning, news broke that Yamah had died by suicide, leaving his coursemates and colleagues in deep shock and sorrow.
Alleged Cover-up In Sujimoto Case
Meanwhile, Aisha Abubakar, the EFCC senior official accused of intimidation that allegedly pushed Yamah to take his own life, has also been named in a separate controversy.
Lawyers representing Sujimoto CEO, Mr. Sijibomi Ogundele, have accused her of shielding EFCC officials allegedly implicated in collecting kickbacks, which they claim underpin both Ogundele’s arrest and the harsh treatment he has endured in Enugu.
Ogundele was declared wanted by the EFCC after a contractual dispute with the Enugu State Government over a failed smart schools project.
Sources told SaharaReporters that just as the initial investigative team was reportedly closing in on state officials linked to a complex money-laundering scheme spanning 50 bank accounts, Abubakar suddenly assumed control of the case file, though currently on vacation.
The Acting Zonal Director then reassigned the matter exclusively to Deputy Director Adaora Asabe Oragudosi, a move that, according to insiders, has stalled accountability efforts.
Since her posting to Enugu, Abubakar has reportedly cultivated unusually close ties with senior state politicians, including one said to have provided her accommodation in the city.
On Monday, September 8, 2025, Ogundele voluntarily visited the EFCC Enugu office to clarify issues surrounding the contract dispute but was instead detained.
Sources told SaharaReporters that matters escalated on Wednesday, September 10, when Ogundele’s lawyers visited him. During the meeting, Ogundele reportedly tried to explain the hostile conditions of his detention under the supervision of Ms. Oragudosi, Sectional Head of the Tax Fraud Section.
Sources said he complained of being held for days with little access to food and water. But before he could fully brief his lawyers, Ms. Oragudosi reportedly intervened, cutting him off and barring him from further communication.
Ogundele and his legal team reportedly protested what they described as a gross violation of his fundamental rights. Nevertheless, Ms. Oragudosi allegedly ordered him back into detention and instructed his lawyers to leave the EFCC premises.
Yamah: Allegations Of Abuse Of Power
Regarding Yamah’s death, multiple sources alleged that Aisha Abubakar facilitated the transfer of Nurudeen Bello, popularly known as “Oga Nura”, from Kaduna to the EFCC headquarters as a way to “stamp her authority” over staff.
"He is cold-hearted and can go to any length to ensure that he gets what he wants. In the Commission, his name is synonymous with wickedness, which is within the knowledge of every officer of the Commission.
“As a Course 3 officer, when Madam Aisha was in the headquarters, even the Director of Operations (DOPS) could not give him and the HOI Directives. The duo turned the commission into a living hell for all officers of the commission,” one of the sources said.
The allegations depict a culture of systemic abuse of power, toxic workplace practices, and unchecked authority within the EFCC.
According to insiders, the conditions played a direct role in Yamah’s tragic death.
Another source stated, "When he (Nurudeen Bello) left Kaduna Zonal Command, we congratulated each other for several weeks, and at the same time reached out to our colleagues and friends at the headquarters to felicitate with them on the posting of a tyrant.
"The Kaduna Zonal Command can now breathe. Staff are happier and now looking forward to coming to work. At a point in time, we didn’t look forward to reporting to duty because Oga Nurudeen.”
The source described Bello’s style of investigation as alien to the Commission.
"When a complaint is received, he investigates both the complainant and the suspect. He orders arrests of suspects without invitation. We are all happy that he was transferred to the headquarters, and at the same time, sad for them.
"His record in Kaduna is nothing to write home about. He was only good at doing dirty jobs for the Zonal Commander. Making arrests without invitations or warrants, detention of suspects for a long time and intimidating officers and men," the source added.
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