Court documents detail N40bn fraud scheme by ex-Bauchi Accountant-General

Fresh court filings have revealed details of an alleged N40 billion fraud involving former Bauchi State Accountant-General, Sa’idu Abubakar, who is accused of obtaining billions of naira in unauthorised loans using forged government documents and diverting the funds through fictitious motorcycle supply contracts.

The allegations are contained in a 16-count amended charge filed by the Bauchi State Government before the Bauchi State High Court, accusing Abubakar of fraud, forgery, deception, criminal breach of trust, abuse of office and diversion of public funds.

According to the prosecution, the former Accountant-General allegedly secured multiple loan facilities from United Bank for Africa and Polaris Bank using forged State Executive Council resolutions, House of Assembly approvals and Irrevocable Standing Payment Orders (ISPOs).

The state government alleged that the approvals presented to the banks were never authorised by Governor Bala Mohammed or the State Executive Council.

Court documents further claim that Abubakar misled the Clerk of the Bauchi State House of Assembly and the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government by falsely representing that the governor and executive council had approved the loan requests.

Prosecutors alleged that the deception led to the issuance of official resolutions that were subsequently used to obtain the loan facilities.

The charges detail several transactions allegedly linked to non-existent contracts for the supply of motorcycles to civil servants in the state.

One count alleges that between December 2023 and January 2024, Abubakar obtained a N3 billion loan from UBA for the purported supply of 5,000 motorcycles, a contract the prosecution claims never existed.

Another charge relates to a N4.65 billion loan secured from Polaris Bank in April 2023 for the alleged supply of 15,000 motorcycles to civil servants, while a separate transaction involved a N3.36 billion UBA facility for 7,000 motorcycles.

The prosecution further alleged that forged executive council resolutions, House of Assembly approvals and ISPOs were used to facilitate the loan transactions, with funds allegedly channelled through a company identified as Emmanuel Asomugha General Enterprises.

In addition to allegations of forgery and fraud, the former Accountant-General is accused of possessing forged government documents, creating false repayment orders and committing criminal breach of trust while serving as custodian of Bauchi State’s finances.

The state government maintains that the loans were procured without lawful authorisation and that the funds were diverted for purposes unrelated to the stated contracts.

The case is expected to proceed before the Bauchi State High Court, where the prosecution will seek to prove the allegations contained in the 16-count charge. As of the time of filing, the allegations remain subject to judicial determination.