EFCC re-arraigns Bauchi Accountant-General, BDC operator over alleged N1.63bn fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday re-arraigned the Accountant-General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, alongside an alleged unlicensed Bureau de Change operator, Aliyu Abubakar of Jasfad Resources Enterprises, over an alleged N1.63 billion money laundering case before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

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The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, confirmed details of the proceedings in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The defendants were re-arraigned before Justice O.A. Egwuatu on an amended five-count charge bordering on alleged conversion of Bauchi State Government funds and money laundering amounting to N1,635,270,350.9.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the funds were unlawfully transferred from Bauchi State Government accounts into accounts linked to Jasfad Resources Enterprises.

The duo had earlier been arraigned on April 7, 2025, with Jaja listed as the first defendant and Abubakar as the second defendant. However, in the amended charge marked FHC/ABJCR/101/2025, dated January 5, 2026, and filed the same day, Abubakar, trading under the name and style of Jasfad Resources Enterprises, was listed as the first defendant, while Jaja became the second defendant.

At the resumed proceedings, prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed, SAN, informed the court that the prosecution had filed a second amended charge and urged the court to allow the defendants to take their pleas.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

One of the counts alleged that Aliyu Abubakar, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja and one Abubakar Muhammad Hafiz, who is currently at large, between October 29 and December 31, 2024, conspired to launder N1.29 billion belonging to the Bauchi State Government.

According to the charge, the money was allegedly transferred from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury Account domiciled in United Bank for Africa (UBA) into the account of Jasfad Resources Enterprises.

Another count accused the defendants, alongside Ari Manga and Muhammad Aminu Bose, both said to be at large, of laundering an additional N426.1 million between January 3 and March 14, 2025, through similar transactions involving the same accounts.

The EFCC said the alleged offences contravened provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Following the defendants’ pleas, counsel to the first defendant, Gordy Uche, SAN, and counsel to the second defendant, Chris Uche, SAN, urged the court to allow their clients to continue enjoying the bail earlier granted by the court.

The prosecution did not oppose the application, and the existing bail conditions were maintained.

Counsel to the first defendant also filed a motion challenging the competence of the amended charge. He urged the court to strike out counts two, three, four and five on the grounds that they allegedly amounted to duplicity of action and could expose the defendants to double jeopardy.

The application was supported by counsel to the second defendant but opposed by the prosecution.

Justice Egwuatu, however, reserved ruling on the objection until the conclusion of the trial, citing Section 395 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

In continuation of the hearing, the prosecution opened its case with the testimony of its first witness, Abimbola Williams, a compliance officer with UBA.

Williams told the court that the bank received a request from the EFCC in February 2025 seeking details and statements of accounts linked to some of its customers, including Jasfad Resources Enterprises and the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account.

She said the requested account statements and related documents were printed, certified and handed over to the EFCC.

The prosecution tendered the documents as exhibits, which were admitted by the court despite objections from the defence counsel, who indicated they would address their objections in their final written submissions.

While giving evidence, the witness narrated how several transactions involving millions of naira were allegedly transferred from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account to the account of Jasfad Resources Enterprises.

She told the court that on October 29, 2024, there was a transfer of N13.1 million from the Bauchi State account to Jasfad Resources. She added that another transfer of N7.1 million occurred on the same date.

According to her, on October 30, 2024, two additional transfers were made — one in the sum of N50 million and another for N7.3 million.

The witness further disclosed that there were at least 18 other transfers made on different dates from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account to Jasfad Resources Enterprises within the period under investigation.

Following the testimony of the witness, Justice Egwuatu adjourned the matter until May 12, 2026, for continuation of trial.