The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has formally arraigned the Accountant-General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, and a Bureau De Change operator, Aliyu Abubakar, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of allegedly embezzling ₦8.3 billion in public funds.
Abubakar’s company, Jasfad Resources Enterprise, was also listed as a co-defendant in the case. The trio faces a nine-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal diversion, and misappropriation of funds totaling ₦8,380,626,430.95.
The arraignment was presided over by Justice O.A. Egwuatu on Monday, where the EFCC detailed a scheme involving the illegal transfer and laundering of public funds meant for Bauchi State’s developmental projects.
According to the charge sheet presented by the prosecution, Aliyu Abubakar and Jasfad Resources Enterprise, in collaboration with Ibrahim Kashim, the former Secretary to the Bauchi State Government (now declared wanted), were involved in laundering ₦2.8 billion. The sum was allegedly moved from the Bauchi State Government’s Expenditure Account at United Bank for Africa (UBA) into the account of Jasfad Resources Enterprise between January 5 and December 10, 2024.
One of the charges read:
“That you, Aliyu Abubakar, Jasfad Resources Enterprise, and Ibrahim Kashim, sometime between January 5, 2024, and December 10, 2024… committed an offence to wit: money laundering by converting and transferring the sum of ₦2,808,595,100.00 of public funds from the Bauchi State Expenditure Account into the account of Jasfad Resources Enterprise.”
All the accused pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
Apart from the three main defendants, others mentioned in the scandal include Aminu Hammayo, the current Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Saleh Mohammed, and Balarabe Abdullahi—all of whom are currently at large.
Following the plea, the EFCC prosecution team, led by Abba Mohammed, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants. Defense counsels Mohammed Ndayako and Chris Uche, representing the first and second defendants respectively, opposed the remand application. Uche highlighted that Jaja had been on administrative bail and requested that the court consider granting him bail either on self-recognition or to the custody of the Bauchi State Attorney-General, Hassan Yakubu, who assured the court of Jaja’s cooperation.
The EFCC, however, objected to the bail application, arguing that Jaja was not resident in Abuja and might attempt to evade prosecution.
After hearing both sides, Justice Egwuatu granted bail to the defendants in the sum of ₦200 million each, with two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17, and both must be residents of Abuja. The sureties are also required to present evidence of tax payments for the last three years. Additionally, the defendants must deposit their international passports with the court registrar.
Pending the satisfaction of the bail conditions, the court ordered that Sirajo Jaja be temporarily released to the custody of the Bauchi State Attorney-General, while Aliyu Abubakar was to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
The trial has been adjourned to June 17, 2025, for commencement of full proceedings.
