The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has initiated legal action against a Kano-based self-acclaimed journalist, Mr. Alkazim Kabir, popularly known as Abbati Kabiru Abuwa, over alleged involvement in multiple fraudulent activities estimated at about ₦14 million.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the Commission, Demola Bakare, revealed that Kabir is accused of repeatedly impersonating top government officials, including aides to the President, the Vice President, and lawmakers in the National Assembly, in a bid to deceive and defraud unsuspecting individuals. According to the ICPC, several petitions had been received from victims who claimed that Kabir used false identities to solicit money and make promises he had no authority to fulfill.
Investigations reportedly uncovered that the suspect exploited his self-proclaimed status as a journalist and his alleged connections with influential government figures to earn the trust of his victims. In one particular case, Kabir was said to have posed as a presidential and vice-presidential aide to obtain $3,300 and 1,620 Saudi Riyals from two victims under the pretext of facilitating official favors.
Further findings by the ICPC revealed that Kabir had also used opportunities surrounding religious pilgrimages, especially Hajj and Umrah, to defraud people. He allegedly targeted travellers and exploited their trust to obtain funds under false pretenses. During one such trip to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Kabir was accused of borrowing 11,000 Saudi Riyals from a fellow pilgrim and later presenting a forged bank transfer receipt as proof of repayment. In another incident, he reportedly sent a fake ₦3.2 million payment receipt to a travel agent who had handled his flight, hotel, and train bookings.
Bakare confirmed that charges have been filed against the suspect and that his arraignment will take place once the case is assigned to a competent court. He reaffirmed the Commission’s determination to clamp down on individuals who exploit public trust, impersonate officials, or take advantage of religious and social platforms for deceitful purposes. According to him, the ICPC will continue to ensure that such offenders face the full weight of the law to serve as a deterrent to others who engage in fraudulent practices.