Details Of How Bauchi Accountant General Narrowly Escape Being Remanded Over N8bn Fraud

…as court sentences Kano make-up artist for naira abuse

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

This information was disclosed in a statement by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale.

Jaja was arraigned alongside Aliyu Abubakar, a bureau de change operator, and his company, Jasfad Resources Enterprise. The case also involves several individuals who are currently at large, including former Secretary to the Bauchi State Government, Ibrahim Kashim; incumbent Secretary to the State Government, Aminu Hammayo; Saleh U. Mohammed; and Balarabe Abdullahi.

The defendants are facing a nine-count charge related to money laundering, diversion of public funds, and criminal misappropriation of funds, amounting to N8,380,626,430.95 (Eight Billion, Three Hundred and Eighty Million, Six Hundred and Twenty-six Thousand, Four Hundred and Thirty Naira, Ninety-five Kobo).

One of the charges states: “That you, Aliyu Abubakar, Jasfad Resources Enterprise (a Bureau de Change operator), and Ibrahim Kashim (former Secretary to the Bauchi State Government, now at large), sometime between January 5, 2024, and December 10, 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an offence to wit: money laundering by converting and transferring the sum of Two Billion, Eight Hundred and Eight Million, Five Hundred and Ninety-Five Thousand, One Hundred Naira (N2,808,595,100.00) of public funds belonging to the Bauchi State Government from the Bauchi State Expenditure Account, domiciled in United Bank for Africa with account number 1022197086, into the account of Jasfad Resources Enterprise, also domiciled in United Bank for Africa with account number 1023444660, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(b) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

All defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read in court. Following this, prosecution counsel Abba Mohammed, SAN, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility. Defense counsel Mohammed Ndayako, SAN, representing Jaja and Aliyu Abubakar, along with Chris Uche, SAN, representing the third defendant, immediately filed applications for bail.
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Uche argued that Jaja, as the Accountant General of Bauchi State, played a crucial role in the state’s financial operations and had already been granted administrative bail. He requested that the court grant bail on self-recognition or release him to the Attorney General of Bauchi State, who would ensure his attendance in court.

The prosecution opposed the bail applications, reminding the court that the first defendant had previously jumped administrative bail and highlighting that the third defendant does not reside in Abuja, making him a flight risk.

“We have filed a 17-paragraph counter-affidavit on April 4, 2025, deposed to by Ogundana Peter Kolawole, alongside a written address. We adopt both and urge this court to refuse the third defendant’s application for bail,” the prosecution stated.

After considering arguments from both sides, Justice Egwuatu granted bail to each defendant in the amount of N200 million, with two sureties in like sum. The court stipulated that the sureties must be residents of Abuja, with one being a federal government employee not below Grade Level 17, and required proof of tax payment for the past three years. The court also mandated that the defendants deposit their passports with the court registrar.

Pending the fulfillment of their bail conditions, Jaja was released to the custody of the Attorney General of Bauchi State, Hassan L. Yakubu, SAN, while Abubakar was remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja. The case was adjourned until June 17, 2025, for the commencement of trial.

In a related development, Justice S.M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court in Kano has convicted and sentenced a make-up artist, Abdullahi Musa Huseini, also known as Amuscap, to six months in prison for Naira abuse.

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Huseini was sentenced after pleading guilty to a one-count charge concerning the abuse and mutilation of Naira notes.

The charge states: “That you, Abdullahi Musa Huseini, on December 6, 2024, at Ali Jita Event Centre, Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with the sum of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) in 1,000 notes denomination issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying currency during the occasion, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

After his arraignment, Huseini accepted guilt, prompting prosecution counsel Zarami Mohammed to present the case details and evidence before the court.

In delivering the judgment, Justice Shuaibu found Huseini guilty as charged and sentenced him to six months imprisonment without the option of a fine.

The convict was apprehended following credible intelligence regarding his involvement in the deliberate mutilation of Nigerian currency by spraying Naira at his wedding celebration. Investigations revealed that Huseini willfully defaced and abused the currency in defiance of warnings and campaigns by the EFCC against such practices.

(By PRNigeria, excluding reworked headline)

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