EFCC Arraigns Woman for Alleged ₦6.8 Million Romance Scam in Maiduguri
The EFCC has arraigned Catherine Ijeoma Ugwu in Maiduguri for allegedly defrauding a man of ₦6.8 million through a romance scam. She faces charges of obtaining by false pretense, criminal misappropriation, and impersonation.
The Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Catherine Ijeoma Ugwu before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, over an alleged ₦6.8 million romance scam. The arraignment took place on Monday, March 17, 2025.
Ugwu is facing a four-count charge, including obtaining by false pretense, criminal misappropriation, and impersonation, in connection with defrauding a man of ₦6,815,300.00 under the guise of being his fiancée.
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Details of the Allegations
According to the EFCC, between June 2023 and August 2024, Ugwu deceived Emmanuel Ani into transferring ₦6,710,300.00 into her Access Bank account (No. 1778806195). She allegedly claimed the money was for the upkeep of his supposed fiancée, one Miss Chinansa, a person the EFCC asserts was fictitious.
One of the charges reads:
"That you, Catherine Ijeoma Ugwu, between June 2023 and August 2024 in Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the aggregate sum of ₦6,710,300.00 from Emmanuel Ani into your Access Bank account under the false pretense that the funds were meant for the upkeep of his fiancée, one Miss Chinansa, which you knew to be false. You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006."
Ugwu pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to her in court.
Court Proceedings and Next Steps
Following her plea, the prosecution, represented by S.O. Saka and Faruku Muhammad, requested a trial date and asked the court to remand Ugwu in a Correctional Centre. Justice Kumaliya granted the request, setting April 8, 2025, for the commencement of the trial and ordering Ugwu’s remand.
Ugwu’s legal troubles began when the victim, Emmanuel Ani, discovered that the person he believed to be his fiancée did not exist and demanded a refund, which the defendant failed to provide.
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