A Minna Magistrate Court has recused itself from a case involving Alhaji Usman Idris Makanta, also known as Shinkafa Nupe, who is accused of defrauding Niger Foods Company of N3.4 billion in input loans in Niger State.
Makanta, a former APC governorship aspirant in Niger State, was arraigned on six charges, including cheating and advance fee fraud.
During the sitting, Chief Magistrate Murtala Mohammed Ibrahim refused the police’s request to replace the original charge, citing lack of jurisdiction. The case will now be transferred to the Federal High Court for further prosecution.
The police alleged that Makanta, who acted as a guarantor for certain clusters, failed to produce them despite repeated requests, leading to his arrest.
Makanta’s defence counsel, Mohammed Tsado, opposed the re-arraignment, arguing that his client had already been granted bail and was seeking to challenge the police’s actions in court.
The court directed the police to arraign Makanta in the Federal High Court within 24 hours.
Recall that the Chairman of Niger Foods, Mr Sammy Adigun, issued a statement in Minna alleging that out of N3.4 billion in input loans, only N25 million had been recovered from the Shinkafa Cluster, led by Makanta, who had signed agreements and guarantees for repayment.
He stated that Makanta and the Shinkafa Cluster were responsible for ensuring the inputs were used for their intended purpose.
According to him, “All farms were mapped, coordinates recorded, and three critical documents were duly signed by Makanta: a Farming Framework Agreement, a Global Standing Instruction, and a Letter of Guarantee in which he personally undertook to ensure 100 per cent recovery in case of default.”
The chairman explained that, against this background, the company petitioned the Niger State Police Command to investigate whether the inputs were used as intended, as the guarantor was contractually responsible for ensuring compliance.
Adigun, however, denied allegations that the investigation was politically motivated, describing them as false, misleading, and an attempt to distract the public from the real issues.
