The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a man, Lawal Babale Musa, over alleged forgery, uttering of documents and stealing involving N56.49m meant for Hajj pilgrimage.
Musa was arraigned on Thursday, August 13, 2026, before Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the anti-graft agency.
He is facing a 57-count charge bordering on forgery, uttering of documents and stealing by conversion.
The EFCC alleged that Musa collected N56,491,000 from Ibrahim Shuaibu for the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage of 10 persons through the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency but converted the funds to his personal use.
The charge stated that Musa committed the offence between November 2, 2022 and July 22, 2024, in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to the EFCC, the money was meant for the Hajj pilgrimage of Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa and Usman Haruna.
The commission further alleged that Musa forged a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency receipt numbered 0013041 in the name of Jibril Adamu on November 10, 2023, with the intention of presenting it as genuine.
Another count alleged that he uttered a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency receipt numbered 012654 to Adamu on February 2, 2024, knowing it to be forged.
The offences were said to be contrary to Sections 390(9), 465, 467 and 468 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
Musa pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Bashir Shamsuddeen, urged the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility and fix a date for trial.
However, defence counsel, Kehinde Adegbola, informed the court that he had filed a bail application seeking the defendant’s release on liberal terms.
Justice Adetujoye subsequently adjourned the case until August 17, 2026, for hearing of the bail application.
The judge ordered that Musa be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre pending the hearing.
The EFCC said the defendant’s alleged fraud began after he approached Shuaibu and claimed that he worked for the Kaduna State Government and could facilitate the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage.
Shuaibu subsequently informed his friends, who are involved in cattle breeding and rearing in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State, about the purported opportunity.
The 10 individuals allegedly pooled N56.4m and paid the money to Shuaibu, who transferred it to Musa to facilitate their pilgrimage.
However, according to the commission, none of the intended pilgrims travelled to Saudi Arabia for the 2023 Hajj because Musa allegedly failed to fulfil his promise.
The case has been adjourned to August 17 for hearing of the defendant’s bail application.
(The Whistler)
