Alleged N1.2bn Fraud: EFCC Arraigns Five Katsina Revenue Officials, Bank Staff
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned five officials of the Katsina State Board of Internal Revenue and one bank staff over alleged N1.2 billion fraud.
The accused persons appeared before Justice Musa Danladi of the Katsina State High Court on Tuesday in Katsina.
They were arraigned on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy and diversion of public funds totaling One billion, two hundred and thirty five million, three hundred and thirty thousand Naira.
The money were released to the state by the World Health Organization, Medicins Sans Frontiers, and Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA).
The defendants are, Nura Lawal, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim Mamman, Abubakar Saidu, Rabiu Adamu Abdullahi, and Adam Alhassan Albashir, a Public Sector Relationship Manager with First Bank.
They are accused of conspiring among yourselves to unlawfully convert to their personal use the tax payments meant for the Katsina State Government, an offence contrary to Section 58 of the Penal Code Law of Katsina State and punishable under Section 298 of the Same Law.
All six defendants pleaded not guilty to each of the charges preferred against them.
Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, Musa Isah, prayed the court for a trial date to prove the case against the defendants.
Counsels representing the defendants each moved separate bail applications, urging the court to admit their clients to bail pending the hearing and determination of the cases.
The prosecution counsel, however, opposed the bail applications.
However, after carefully considering the arguments presented by both the prosecution and the defence counsel, Justice Danladi granted bail to each defendant in the sum of Five Million Naira.
Each of them is also required to provide one reliable surety, who must be residing within the court’s jurisdiction and must possess a landed property, whose title will be verified by the court registrar.
Justice Danladi subsequently adjourned the case to October 27, 2025 for commencement of trial.
Investigation by the EFCC showed that Rabiu Abdullahi, a former Director of Collections of the Board and current Permanent Secretary of the Board authorized the opening of a bank account in the name of ”BOIRS” at Sterling bank where he allegedly designated Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Director of Revenue Account and Ibrahim Mamman as sole signatories to the account.
Subsequently, the account became the primary channel through which all the funds were allegedly funneled to the main beneficiary NADIKKO General Suppliers, a company owned and controlled by Nura Lawal, an Assistant Director, Career Skills and Staff Welfare of the Board.
Investigation further revealed that Nura Lawal and his company ”NADIKKO” became the principal conduits used to launder the stolen funds, which the EFCC traced to the various bank accounts of the suspects.
