April 29, 2026
EFCC Re-charges Bauchi State Accountant General And One Other Over Money Laundering
By Zainab Ma’aji Abdul
On April 28, 2026, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought Bauchi State’s Accountant General, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, and an unlicensed Bureau de Change operator, Aliyu Abubakar (of Jasfad Resources Enterprises), back before Justice O. A. Egwuatu at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
They faced an amended five-count charge involving the illegal conversion of Bauchi State government funds and money laundering totaling N1,635,270,350.9 (one billion, six hundred thirty-five million, two hundred seventy thousand, three hundred fifty naira and nine kobo).
The pair had originally been charged on April 7, 2025, with Jaja as first defendant and Abubakar as second. Under the amended charge (dated and filed January 5, 2026), Abubakar trading as Jasfad Resources Enterprise became the first defendant, and Jaja the second.
At the start of proceedings, prosecution counsel Abba Muhammed, SAN, informed the court that a second amended charge had been filed and requested that the defendants be allowed to enter their pleas.
Count two of the charge alleges that between October 29 and December 31, 2024, Abubakar, Jaja, and a still-at-large accomplice (Abubakar Muhammad Hafiz) laundered N1,290,154,337.2 of Bauchi State funds by transferring the money from the state’s sub-treasury account (UBA, account no. 1018819396) into Jasfad Resources Enterprise’s UBA account (no. 1023444660). This offense falls under Section 18(2)(b) and is punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Count three states that between January 3 and March 14, 2025, Abubakar, Jaja, and four others at large (Abubakar Muhammad Hafiz, Ari Manga, and Muhammad Aminu Bose) laundered N426,116,013.7 of state funds through the same transfer method, violating the same legal provisions.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty. Their lawyers—Gordy Uche, SAN (for Abubakar) and Chris Uche, SAN (for Jaja)—asked the court to let them remain on previously granted bail. The prosecution did not oppose this.
The first defendant’s counsel also filed a motion challenging the validity of the charges, asking the court to strike out counts two, three, four, and five on grounds of duplicity and to prevent double jeopardy. The second defendant’s counsel supported this, while the prosecution objected. The court, citing Section 395 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, reserved its ruling on the matter until after trial.
The trial continued with the prosecution’s first witness (PW1), Abimbola Williams, a 20-year veteran compliance officer at United Bank for Africa (UBA). She testified that in February 2025, the bank received an EFCC request for client records. The request sought bank statements for the Jasfad Resources account and the Bauchi State sub-treasury account. She confirmed that she certified the documents, which were tendered and admitted as exhibits, despite objections from the defense that they would elaborate on in writing.
Williams also detailed how millions of naira belonging to Bauchi State were allegedly moved from the sub-treasury account to the Jasfad Resources account. For example, on October 29, 2024, a debit transfer of N13,144,500 was made, followed by another of N17,196,300 the same day. On October 30, two transfers occurred: N50 million and N7,321,000. She reported 18 additional transfers on various dates within the relevant period.
After the witness’s testimony, Justice Egwuatu adjourned the case until May 12, 2026, for continuation of the trial.