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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

EFCC re-arraigns Bauchi AG, BDC operator over N1.6bn fraud

From The Punch · (3m ago) English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The Bauchi State Accountant-General, Sirajo Jaja, and a Bureau de Change operator, Aliyu Abubakar, were re-arraigned on charges of fraud and money laundering.
  • The amended charge involves the alleged conversion of over N1.6 billion in public funds belonging to the Bauchi State Government.
  • Both defendants pleaded not guilty, and the court reserved ruling on the defense's challenge to the charge's competence until the end of the trial.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned the Bauchi State Accountant-General, Sirajo Jaja, and an unlicensed Bureau de Change operator, Aliyu Abubakar, before the Federal High Court in Abuja. The duo faces an amended five-count charge accusing them of converting public funds totaling N1,635,270,350.9 belonging to the Bauchi State Government and engaging in money laundering. This re-arraignment follows an earlier one on April 7, 2025, with a revised order of defendants in the charge.

The duo were re-arraigned on an amended five-count charge, bordering on conversion of public funds belonging to Bauchi State Government, and money laundering to the tune of N1,635,270,350.9.

— EFCC StatementDescribing the charges against the Bauchi State Accountant-General and the BDC operator.

During the proceedings, the prosecution informed the court of a second amended charge and urged the defendants to enter their plea. Both Abubakar and Jaja pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their defense counsel applied for them to continue on their existing bail, which the prosecution did not oppose. However, the defense also challenged the competence of the charge, specifically counts two to five, citing duplicity and the potential for double jeopardy. The court has reserved its ruling on this challenge until the conclusion of the trial, adhering to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

That you Aliyu Abubakar… and Sirajo Jaja… between 29 October, 2024 and 31st December, 2024… did commit an offence to wit: money laundering by converting the sum of N1,290,154,337.2… of public funds… belonging to Bauchi State Government…

— Amended Charge (Count two)Detailing a portion of the money laundering charges.

The trial also saw the prosecution call its first witness, Abimbola Williams, a compliance officer with the United Bank for Africa. Williams testified about the bank receiving a request from the EFCC in February 2025 for client details, including bank statements for the Jaspa Resources account and the Bauchi State Sub-treasury account. She detailed how funds were allegedly transferred from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury Account to Jasfad Resources Enterprise, providing specific dates and amounts for debit transfers in late October and early November 2024.

That you Aliyu Abubakar… and Sirajo Jaja… between 3rd January, 2025 and 14th March 2025… did commit an offence to wit: money laundering by converting the sum of N426,116,013.7… of public funds…

— Amended Charge (Count three)Detailing another portion of the money laundering charges.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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