EFCC arraigns former FUDMA VC, two others over N19.7m bribery

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Dutsinma (FUDMA), Professor Armaya’u Hamisu Bichi, before the Katsina State High Court over an alleged N19.7 million bribery scheme.

Bichi was docked on Thursday before Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar alongside two other defendants, Lawal Tukur Mani and Aliyu Lawal Jari, who were allegedly used as conduits to receive the illicit payments.

The trio faces a five-count charge bordering on bribery and abuse of office.

According to the EFCC, Bichi, while serving as Vice-Chancellor, allegedly received kickbacks from contractors in exchange for awarding contracts for the supply of medical equipment and laboratory furnishings at the university.

In one of the charges, the anti-graft agency accused Bichi of obtaining a N5 million bribe in July 2023 from a contractor, Theophilus Ilechukwu of Goezek International Agency Nigeria Limited, as gratification for contract awards. The money was allegedly paid into an Access Bank account belonging to one of the co-defendants.

Prosecutors further alleged that the former VC collected the bribes through the two co-defendants during his tenure as head of the institution.

All three defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read in court.

Following their pleas, prosecution counsel Salihu Sani requested a trial date to enable the EFCC to present its witnesses, while defence lawyers A. L. Yusuf and Raphael Henry applied for bail on behalf of their clients.

Justice Abubakar granted each defendant bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum and adjourned the case until March 12, 2026, for the commencement of trial.