According to a submission by the CAC accepted by the Yola High Court, neither Sebore Farms Limited nor Sebore Farms Export Process Zone was registered entities.
For more than two decades, Sebore Farms Limited, founded by former Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako, operated without formal registration with Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)—a lapse that raises serious legal and regulatory questions.
According to a submission by the CAC accepted by the Yola High Court, neither Sebore Farms Limited nor Sebore Farms Export Process Zone was registered entities.
The evidence, a letter from the CAC, was admitted by Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman, the Chief Judge of Adamawa State, thereby establishing that both companies lacked official recognition under Nigerian corporate law.
The revelation emerged during a legal dispute involving Rabiu Sheriff, a former Chief Security Officer to Governor Nyako.
Sheriff is accused of unlawfully converting properties valued at N80 million—originally acquired in the name of Sebore Farms—to his personal ownership and subsequently selling them for private gain.
The lawsuit, filed by the state government in 2021, alleges that Sheriff fraudulently appropriated two parcels of land purchased under Sebore Farms’ name.
In his defence, Sheriff submitted bank statements purportedly showing that payments for the properties were made from his personal account directly to the vendor—an argument central to his claim of rightful ownership.
During a hearing before Justice Abdulrahman, Sheriff’s lead counsel, Barr. Roland Emem, petitioned the court for leave to reopen the defendant’s examination-in-chief. He argued that new evidence—specifically, proof that the companies allegedly defrauded were not legally registered—was crucial to Sheriff’s defence.
In his deposition, Sheriff recalled being arraigned on November 12, 2021, following a seven-day detention by the Department of State Services (DSS).
He further stated that his then-legal counsel, Barr. Adikwu, and Adikwu’s secretary, Helen, were also detained for one day each. Sheriff alleged that the intimidation and pressure surrounding their arrests ultimately forced his lawyer to withdraw from the case.
“I was left to face the court without any legal representation,” he told the court.
After securing new legal representation in Barr. Tunde Fakoya, Sheriff was informed that the attorney would only proceed with the case if it could be confirmed that the companies in question were properly registered.
Fakoya reached out to the CAC, which officially responded that Sebore Farms Limited and Sebore Farms Export Process Zone had not been duly registered.
Sheriff also testified that Mohammed Bamanga Nyako, son of former Governor Murtala Nyako, initially told police investigators, who were handling the case before it was taken over by the DSS, that he was a director in both companies. However, when the matter advanced to court, he denied any association with one of them, Sebore Farms Ltd.
In light of the conflicting claims, Sheriff instructed another lawyer, Barr. Ali Jatau, to independently verify the companies’ registration status. The CAC’s findings again confirmed that neither entity was registered with the commission.
Sheriff further alleged that during his detention, DSS Deputy Director Halilu Sulaiman pressured him to kneel before Abdulaziz Nyako—another son of the former governor—and plead for forgiveness.
“I was asked to go and kneel before Abdulaziz Nyako. I refused. I won’t subject myself to that humiliation,” he asserted. He condemned the DSS’s conduct, stating that both his own and his lawyers’ fundamental human rights were “grossly violated” during their detention.
After considering the defendant’s testimony, Justice Abdulrahman admitted the CAC report into evidence and adjourned the case until May 20, 2025, for the plaintiff’s counsel to commence cross-examination of the defendant.
The CAC’s role is pivotal in ensuring that companies comply with Nigeria’s Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), which mandates registration for legal recognition and accountability. Operating without this registration contravenes Section 18 of CAMA, which stipulates that every company must be registered to conduct business legally in Nigeria.
This lack of registration has broader implications. It questions the legitimacy of Sebore Farms Limited’s contracts and financial transactions and its ability to seek legal redress in disputes.
Furthermore, it casts doubt on the company’s adherence to tax obligations and regulatory compliance, potentially exposing it to penalties and legal challenges.
In 2016, Nyako and his associates were re-arraigned on charges of laundering N29 billion through various companies, including Sebore Farms & Extension Limited.
