A young man who posed as the governor of Gombe State to defraud a businessman has been dragged before a Gombe State High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The accused person, Sabo Sani Labaran, was charged before Justice Abubakar Jauro of the Gombe State High Court, sitting in Gombe, on a two-count charge of impersonation and obtaining N242,000.000 by false pretence..

The offence is contrary to Section 1 sub-section 1(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1 sub-section 3 of the same Act.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, the commission said that Labaran, who belongs to a criminal Internet syndicate, had in October, 2015 collected the sum of N242, 000.00 from his victim, Hussaini Mai- Magani, promising that he would award him a contract for the supply of some hospital equipment.

The suspect is said to use a Facebook account with the photograph of the Gombe State governor, Ibrahim Dankwabo, on its profile. When the www.icirnigeria.org checked Labaran’s Facebook page, the profile picture is that of a younger man. But he claimed to be a senior special adviser working at the Government House, Gombe.

Labaran pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.

Counsel to the accused, Rahimat Talle, brought an application for his bail, appealing to the judge to grant the bail on liberal terms, but Justice Jauro ordered him remanded in prison and adjourned hearing on the bail application to February 8.