The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has slammed a fresh 170-count charge on former governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu, as well as the candidate of Hope Democratic Party, (HDP) in the February 2010, Anambra State gubernatorial election, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu and 10 others.

Eight of the accused persons were on Monday, arraigned before Justice I.M. Buba of the Federal High Court sitting Lafia, on a fresh 170-count charge for defrauding Nasarawa State government to the tune of N15 billion.  

The accused had earlier been arraigned on March 3, on a 149-count charge.

Besides Ukachukwu and Abdullahi, others who were arraigned along with them were Baba Gwefi, Halilu Usman, Abdullahi Idde, Ovey Agbaso, John Mamman, Usman Dubagari, Ifeanyi Ezekweli, Philip Dada, Silas Igbara and Chukwu Okoronkwo.

However, the quartet of Abdulahi Idde, the state Accountant General, Philip Dada, former Secretary to the State Government, Usman Dubagari, a serving Permanent Secretary in the state and Chukwu Okoronkwo who were granted administrative bail last Friday, failed to turn up in court when the others were arraigned.

At the resumed hearing, prosecution counsel, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) prayed the court to substitute the earlier 149-count charge with a new 170-count charge and also to substitute the earlier 20 accused persons with 12 accused persons.