How AG Moved Funds From Bauchi Sub-Treasury To Private Firm-Witness

The trial of Bauchi State Accountant-General, Sirajo Muhammed Jaja, and four others continued on Monday before the Federal High Court in Abuja, with a United Bank for Africa (UBA) compliance officer detailing several transfers allegedly made from the state’s Sub-Treasury Account to a private company.

The witness, Williams Abimbola, told Justice Obiora Egwuatu that several credit transfers were made from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury Account to JASFAD Resources Enterprises, a company allegedly managed by the first defendant, Aliyu Abubakar.

Jaja is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alongside Aliyu Abubakar, Abubakar Muhammed Hafiz, Ari Manga and Muhammed Aminu Bose, over alleged money laundering, diversion of public funds and criminal misappropriation.

The defendants are facing an amended five-count charge involving the alleged diversion and misappropriation of N1,635,270,350.90.

At Monday’s proceedings, EFCC counsel, Ekele E. Iheanacho, SAN, called Abimbola as the first prosecution witness.

The witness, who is a compliance officer with UBA, told the court that her duties included responding to requests and enquiries from law enforcement agencies and performing other responsibilities assigned by the bank’s Chief Compliance Officer.

The prosecution tendered the Bauchi State account statement and a written statement from the bank as part of its evidence.

Led in evidence by Iheanacho, the witness told the court that on 29 October 2024, three transfers were made from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury Account to JASFAD Resources Enterprises.

She identified the transfers as N13,144,500, N17,169,300 and N46,030,500.

Abimbola further testified that N17,886,250 was transferred to the company on 7 November 2024.

She said two additional transfers of N12,215,000 and N16,919,750 were made on 15 November 2024.

According to the witness, another N90,373,550 was transferred from the Sub-Treasury Account to JASFAD on 19 November, while N140,087,500 was transferred on 22 November.

She further told the court that two transfers of N24,192,000 and N48,892,500 were made to the company on 24 December 2024.

The witness said the transactions continued on 27 December, when N335,040,000 and N300 million were transferred to the JASFAD account.

She added that on 31 December 2024, two further transfers of N14,285,527.20 and N26,975,000 were made from the Sub-Treasury Account.

The UBA compliance officer also gave details of further transactions in February and March 2025.

She said N19,840,000 and N13,020,000 were transferred to JASFAD on February 25, 2025.

According to her, N16,105,223.70 was transferred on March 3, followed by N56,642,500 on March 5 and N45,923,790 on March 7.

She further testified that N11,253,500 was transferred on March 10, while two separate transfers of N49,280,000 and N30,720,000 were made on March 12. Another N28,262,500 was transferred to JASFAD Resources Enterprises on March 14, 2025, she said.

The witness repeatedly told the court that the transactions were made by order of the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury Account.

The EFCC alleges that the defendants, who were signatories to the state’s Sub-Treasury Accounts, unlawfully transferred public funds to JASFAD Resources Enterprises.

The defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Counsel to the defendants requested another date to cross-examine the prosecution witness.

Justice Egwuatu subsequently adjourned the case until 22 October 2026 to continue the witness’s cross-examination and further the trial.

EFCC posted the court proceedings on its verified Facebook page.