The Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Lawal Musa before the Oyo State High Court over an alleged N56.4 million fraud involving the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage.
Musa was arraigned on Thursday before Justice Olusola Adetujoye in Ibadan on a 57-count charge bordering on forgery, uttering of documents and stealing.
According to a statement released by the EFCC on Friday, the defendant allegedly presented himself to Ibrahim Shuaibu as someone working with the Kaduna State Government who could assist people with arrangements for the 2023 Hajj.
Shuaibu subsequently informed several of his friends about the offer. The friends, who were reportedly involved in cattle breeding and rearing in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State, 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 said the group collectively paid N56,491,000 to Shuaibu, who later transferred the money to Musa for the Hajj arrangements.
“However, no one among the victims was able to attend the Saudi Arabia Hajj pilgrimage of 2023 due to the fraudulent refusal of Musa to fulfil his promise,” the statement added.
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The anti-graft agency alleged that Musa subsequently converted the money to his personal use and also forged receipts purportedly issued by the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency.
One of the charges accused Musa of converting the N56,491,000 meant for the Hajj arrangements to his personal use, an act the prosecution described as stealing by conversion under the Criminal Code Law of Oyo State.
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Another count alleged that he forged a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency receipt bearing number 0013041 in the name of Jibril Adamu, with the intention that it would be treated as genuine.
A further count accused him of uttering another Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency receipt, numbered 012654, to Adamu, allegedly knowing that it was forged.
The charges read in part:
“Count one of the charges reads, ‘That you, Lawal Babale Musa ‘M’ on or between 2nd November, 2022 to 22nd July, 2024 at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, converted to your own personal use, total sum of N56, 491, 000.00 from Ibrahim Shuaibu the sums meant for Hajj pilgrimage through Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency for Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa and Usman Haruna and thereby committed an offence of stealing by conversion contrary to Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.’
“Count two reads, ‘That you, Lawal Babale Musa ‘M’ on or about 10th day of November, 2023 at Ibadan, Oyo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, forged a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency Receipt Number: 0013041 in the name of Jibril Adamu with intent that it may be acted upon as genuine and thereby committed an offence of Forgery of document contrary to Section 465 and punishable under Section 467 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.’
“Another count of the charges reads, ‘That you, Lawal Babale Musa ‘M’ on or about 2nd of February, 2024 at Ibadan, Oyo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, uttered a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency Receipt with Receipt Number: 012654 to one Jibril Adamu with intent that it may be acted upon as genuine and thereby committed an offence of uttering of document contrary to Section 468 and punishable under Section 467 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State. 2000.’”
Musa pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Bashir Shamsuddeen, asked the court to adjourn the case for trial and remand the defendant in a correctional facility.
Defence counsel, Kehinde Adegbola, however, told 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 and ordered that Musa be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre pending the hearing.
