A witness on Monday told the Federal High Court in Abuja how the name of Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, was allegedly used in an attempt to defraud Senator Shehu Buba.
Rabiu-Rangers Abdullahi, the second prosecution witness, gave the account while testifying before Justice Rita Offili-Ajumogobia. He was led in evidence by Leyii Abueh, counsel to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
The AGF, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), took over prosecution of the case in December 2025 from the Inspector General of Police. The defendants are facing an 11-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime, defamation, and advance-fee fraud.
The first defendant, Ahmed Abdulrahman, alongside David Daure, Ishaq Muhammed, Abdulrashid Musa, and Nasir Abubakar, was arraigned on October 30, 2025. All the defendants pleaded not guilty and were initially remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre before being granted bail.
In his testimony, Abdullahi, a businessman and politician from Bauchi State, said he met the second defendant, David Daure, about five years ago on Facebook.
He told the court that on September 8, 2025, Daure posted on Facebook that a protest would be held in London at Charterhouse, alleging that Senator Shehu Buba was sponsoring terrorism in Nigeria.
According to the witness, Daure sent him a screenshot of the post two days later because he knew of Abdullahi’s close relationship with the senator.
“He said the protest would take place on Friday, September 12, 2025, and that he knew the organiser,” Abdullahi told the court.
He said Daure identified the organiser as one George Onmonya and further claimed that the protest was being sponsored by a serving Nigerian minister.
“I asked him who was sponsoring it, and he said it was a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar,” the witness said.
Abdullahi said Daure then asked him to speak with Senator Buba. Instead, he contacted the senator’s Special Assistant on Security, Danladi, who advised that the claim be investigated to determine whether it was an attempt to defraud them.
The witness told the court that following investigations, the senator’s aide informed him that there was no planned protest at London Charterhouse and that Daure’s claims were false.
He added that Daure had alleged that the minister gave £10,000 to organise the protest.
According to Abdullahi, Danladi then requested Daure’s phone number and began communicating with him directly.
“Daure asked for £10,000, but it was later reduced to ₦5 million,” the witness said. “He started calling me to collect the money, and I began recording our conversations.”
He said all the recorded conversations were forwarded to the senator’s security aide. Daure allegedly insisted that the money be paid before Friday, claiming he needed it to settle the protest organisers.
Abdullahi told the court that arrangements were eventually made to pay the ₦5 million, and Daure was arrested when he arrived to receive the money.
“That is all I know,” the witness concluded.
During cross-examination, counsel to the first defendant, Abdul Mohammed, tendered two statements made by the witness to the police. The court admitted the statements as exhibits.
When asked whether he exaggerated his account, Abdullahi denied doing so, insisting that he narrated exactly what happened.
However, he admitted that his police statement did not specifically mention that Daure sent him a screenshot of the Facebook message.
The witness also denied arranging a physical meeting with Daure, stating that it was Daure who contacted him to ask about his location.
After all defence lawyers completed their cross-examinations, the court discharged the witness. Justice Offili-Ajumogobia adjourned the case until Tuesday for the continuation of trial.