The trial of Bauchi State's accountant-general, Sirajo Muhammed Jaja, has continued at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Jaja is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside four others over an amended five-count charge involving alleged money laundering, diversion of public funds, and criminal misappropriation. The defendants face allegations of diverting about N1.64bn from state funds to a private company.
A bank official, Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer with United Bank for Africa (UBA), was called as the first prosecution witness. Abimbola detailed a series of transfers allegedly made from a state sub-treasury account to a private company, JASFAD Resources Enterprises. The prosecution tendered bank records relating to transactions involving the Bauchi State sub-treasury account and JASFAD Resources Enterprises.
According to the prosecution, money was transferred from the state sub-treasury accounts to JASFAD Resources Enterprises, which it alleged was managed by Aliyu Abubakar, one of the defendants. Abimbola gave evidence on the transactions, stating that three transfers were made into the JASFAD account from the Bauchi sub-treasury account on 29 October 2024: N13.14m, N17.17m, and N46.03m.
Further transfers were made in November and December 2024, including N90.37m on 19 November, N140.09m on 22 November, and two payments of N24.19m and N48.89m on 24 December. The witness also identified transfers of N335.04m and N300m on 27 December, followed by further payments on 31 December. These transactions are part of the EFCC's case against the defendants.
The transactions continued into 2025, with Abimbola identifying payments of N19.84m and N13.02m on 25 February and several others in March. These included N56.64m on 5 March, N45.92m on 7 March, N49.28m and N30.72m on 12 March, and N28.26m on 14 March. The testimony has not yet been tested under cross-examination.
Lawyers for the defendants requested another date to cross-examine the witness. Justice Obiora Egwuatu adjourned the case until 22 October 2026 for the continuation of cross-examination and trial. The defendants are contesting the charges brought against them by the EFCC.
The case involves an alleged diversion of about N1.64bn from state funds to a private company. The EFCC is prosecuting the defendants over an amended five-count charge involving alleged money laundering, diversion of public funds, and criminal misappropriation.
Key points
- The trial of Bauchi State's accountant-general, Sirajo Muhammed Jaja, continues over alleged diversion of N1.64bn to private account.
- A bank official testified about transactions involving the Bauchi State sub-treasury account and JASFAD Resources Enterprises.
- The case has been adjourned until 22 October 2026 for the continuation of cross-examination and trial.
