EFCC Arraigns Bauchi Accountant General, Others Over Alleged N8.3bn Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, April 7, 2025, arraigned the Accountant General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, before Justice O.A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, over allegations of fraud involving over N8.3 billion in public funds.

Jaja was arraigned alongside bureau de change operator, Aliyu Abubakar, and his company, Jasfad Resources Enterprise, on a nine-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal diversion, and misappropriation of public funds. Other suspects linked to the case — including former Secretary to the State Government, Ibrahim Kashim; the incumbent SSG, Aminu Hammayo; Saleh U. Mohammed; and Balarabe Abdullahi — are currently at large.

According to the EFCC, the alleged fraudulent transactions occurred between January and December 2024, with billions of naira illicitly transferred from government accounts to private entities.

One of the charges reads:
“That you, Aliyu Abubakar, Jasfad Resources Enterprise, and Ibrahim Kashim (now at large), between January 5, 2024, and December 10, 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed the offence of money laundering by converting and transferring N2,808,595,100.00 of Bauchi State Government funds from the state expenditure account into the account of Jasfad Resources Enterprise. This act contravenes Section 18(2)(b) and is punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

All defendants present in court pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following the pleas, EFCC counsel, Abba Mohammed, SAN, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in custody. In response, the defence team — led by Mohammed Ndayako, SAN, and Chris Uche, SAN — applied for bail on behalf of their clients.

Uche, representing the Accountant General, argued that his client held a critical position in the state’s financial administration and was already on administrative bail. He pleaded for bail on self-recognition or that the defendant be released to the Bauchi State Attorney General.

However, the EFCC opposed the bail applications, stating that the first defendant had previously breached bail terms and that the third defendant posed a flight risk, as he does not reside in Abuja.

Justice Egwuatu granted bail to all defendants in the sum of N200 million each, with two sureties in like sum. One surety must be a federal government employee not below Grade Level 17 and a resident of Abuja, with evidence of tax payment for the past three years. The court also ordered the defendants to surrender their passports.

Pending the fulfillment of their bail conditions, the Accountant General was released to the Bauchi State Attorney General, Hassan L. Yakubu, SAN, while the second defendant, Aliyu Abubakar, was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.

The case has been adjourned to June 17, 2025, for commencement of trial.