The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, re-arraigned the Accountant General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, before Justice O.A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, over allegations of money laundering and embezzlement of public funds.
Jaja was re-arraigned alongside Aliyu Abubakar, a Bureau de Change (BDC) operator trading under the name Jasfad Resources Enterprise.
Three other defendants—Abubakar Muhammed Hafiz, Ari Manga, and Muhammed Aminu Bose—are currently at large.
The defendants are facing a five-count amended charge relating to the laundering, theft, and unlawful conversion of public funds amounting to N1,488,425,629.00 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Eighty-Eight Million, Four Hundred and Twenty-Five Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty-Nine Naira).
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One of the charges alleges that between October 29 and December 31, 2024, the accused persons laundered N1,192,234,627.00.
The funds, belonging to the Bauchi State Government, were allegedly transferred from the state’s Sub-Treasury Account (United Bank for Africa, Account No: 1018819396) to the account of Jasfad Resources Enterprise (UBA, Account No: 1023444660).
Another count accuses the defendants of laundering N296,191,000.00 between January 3 and March 14, 2025, also from the state’s treasury account to Jasfad’s bank account.
The charges are in violation of Section 18(2)(b) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
All defendants present in court pleaded not guilty. Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Gordy Uche and Chris Uche, appearing for the first and second defendants respectively, requested that their clients be allowed to remain on the existing bail terms. They also sought an adjournment to review the amended charges—a request not opposed by the prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed, SAN.
Justice Egwuatu granted the request, allowing the defendants to remain on their current bail conditions.
The trial was adjourned to July 21, 2025, for commencement.
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