The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned a man, Lawal Babale Musa, before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan over alleged fraud involving N56.4m collected from intending pilgrims for the 2023 Hajj.
Musa was brought before Justice Olusola Adetujoye by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC on Thursday and charged with 57 counts bordering on alleged stealing, forgery and alteration of documents.
According to the anti graft agency, the defendant allegedly converted N56,491,000 belonging to Ibrahim Shuaibu and several other individuals who intended to perform the 2023 Hajj through the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency.
The EFCC said the alleged offences took place in Ibadan between November 2, 2022 and July 22, 2024.
The commission alleged that Musa collected the money after claiming that he worked for the Kaduna State Government and could assist the intending pilgrims in securing arrangements for the pilgrimage.
Those said to have contributed to the fund included Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa and Usman Haruna.
The EFCC alleged that the individuals, who were involved in cattle breeding and rearing in Oke-Ogun, Ibadan, pooled the money and gave it to Shuaibu, who subsequently transferred it to Musa for the Hajj arrangements.
However, the commission claimed that none of the intending pilgrims eventually travelled to Saudi Arabia for the 2023 Hajj after the defendant allegedly failed to fulfil his promise.
One of the counts accused Musa of converting the N56,491,000 to his personal use, contrary to the provisions of the Criminal Code Law of Oyo State.
The defendant was also accused of forging a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency receipt bearing number 0013041 in the name of Jibril Adamu.
Another count alleged that he altered a separate pilgrims agency receipt numbered 012654 and presented it to Adamu as genuine.
Musa pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Bashir Shamsuddeen, urged the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility and fix a date for trial.
Defence counsel, Kehinde Adegbola, however, informed the court that he had filed a bail application seeking the release of his client on liberal terms.
Justice Adetujoye 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 determination of the application.