Ex-CCT Chairman Remanded Over Alleged Corruption Charges

• Former Code of Conduct Tribunal chairman Danladi Umar pleads not guilty to four-count corruption charge.

• Court remands him in Kuje Correctional Centre pending hearing of his bail application.

• FG alleges contractors paid millions of naira to Umar’s wife and children as unlawful benefits.

The immediate past Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Yakubu Umar, has pleaded not guilty to a four-count charge of alleged corruption brought against him by the Federal Government.

Umar was arraigned on Thursday before Justice Peter Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations that he abused his office by receiving corrupt benefits through payments allegedly made by contractors to members of his family.

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The charges, filed on June 19, 2026, border on alleged abuse of office and conferring corrupt and unfair advantages on himself while serving as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Chairman of its Tenders Board.

At the commencement of proceedings, prosecution counsel, Christopher Mshelia, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for arraignment. After the charges were read, Umar pleaded not guilty to all four counts.

Following the plea, the prosecution urged the court to fix a date for trial and requested that the defendant be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the commencement of proceedings.

Defence counsel, Sunday Edward, however, applied for bail, assuring the court that his client would be available throughout the trial.

The prosecution opposed the immediate hearing of the application, explaining that it had only been served with the bail request at about 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday and required time to file a formal response.

Justice Kekemeke subsequently adjourned the case until July 15 for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that Umar be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of the application.

According to the charge sheet, the Federal Government alleged that Umar used his position to obtain financial benefits through companies awarded contracts by the tribunal.

In the first count, the prosecution alleged that on October 5, 2021, Umar caused ₦5.5 million to be paid to his wife, Zulaihatu Danladi Umar, by Kurchmives International Limited, a subcontractor engaged under a contract awarded by the tribunal for painting works at its headquarters.

The second count alleged that on January 25, 2024, he caused ₦6 million to be paid to his wife by Portal Realities Limited, a sister company of JTF Global Links Limited, which handled the digitalisation of the tribunal’s management records.

The prosecution further alleged in Counts Three and Four that on October 9, 2024, Umar caused Portal Realities Limited to pay ₦2,043,916.88 each to Baze University as tuition fees for his daughter, Faiza Danladi Umar, and his son, Yakuba Danladi Umar.

The Federal Government argued that the alleged transactions amounted to conferring corrupt and unfair advantages on himself, contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, which prescribes punishment for such offences.

The trial is expected to continue after the court determines Umar’s bail application on July 15.