Witness Tells Court, How N1.6bn Bauchi Govt Funds Moved to Private Firm
A United Bank for Africa (UBA) compliance officer, Williams Abimbola, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja how millions of naira were allegedly transferred from a Bauchi State Government Sub-Treasury account to a private company linked to one of the defendants standing trial for alleged money laundering.
Abimbola gave the evidence on Monday, September 21, 2026, while testifying as the first prosecution witness in the trial of Bauchi State Accountant-General, Sirajo Muhammed Jaja, and four others before Justice Obiora Egwuatu.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Jaja alongside Aliyu Abubakar, Abubakar Muhammed Hafiz, Ari Manga and Muhammed Aminu Bose over alleged money laundering, diversion of public funds and criminal misappropriation involving N1,635,270,350.90.
The defendants have pleaded not guilty to the amended five-count charge.
During Monday’s proceedings, EFCC counsel, Ekele E. Iheanacho, SAN, called Abimbola, a compliance officer with UBA, to testify.
The witness told the court that her responsibilities included receiving requests from law enforcement agencies, responding to enquiries and performing other duties 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.
According to the EFCC, the defendants, who were allegedly signatories to Bauchi State Sub-Treasury accounts, caused funds to be transferred from the state accounts into JASFAD Resources Enterprises, a company operated by Aliyu Abubakar.
While explaining transactions involving the accounts, Abimbola told the court that three separate transfers were made from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account to JASFAD on October 29, 2024.
She identified the transfers as N13,144,500, N17,169,300 and N46,030,500.
The witness further testified that N17,886,250 was transferred to the JASFAD account on November 7, 2024. She said the teller details for the transaction were not captured, although the bank’s records showed that the transfer was made.
According to her testimony, two additional transfers of N12,215,000 and N16,919,750 were made on November 15, 2024.
She told the court that another N90,373,550 was transferred from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account to JASFAD on November 19, 2024, followed by a transfer of N140,087,500 on November 22.
Abimbola also detailed further transactions in December 2024.
She said N24,192,000 and N48,892,500 were transferred to JASFAD on December 24, while N335,040,000 and N300 million were transferred on December 27.
On December 31, 2024, she said, two further transfers of N14,285,527.20 and N26,975,000 were made.
The alleged transactions continued into 2025.
Abimbola told the court that N19,840,000 and N13,020,000 were transferred from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account to JASFAD on February 25, 2025.
She said another N16,105,223.70 was transferred on March 3, followed by N56,642,500 on March 5 and N45,923,790 on March 7.
According to the witness, N11,253,500 was transferred on March 10, while two additional transfers of N49,280,000 and N30,720,000 were made on March 12.
She further testified that N28,262,500 was allegedly transferred from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account to JASFAD on March 14, 2025.
The transactions form part of the financial records the EFCC is relying on in prosecuting the defendants.
In the amended charge, the EFCC alleged that a total of N1.635 billion belonging to the Bauchi State Government was converted and transferred to JASFAD Resources Enterprises.
The commission alleged that N1.290 billion was transferred from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account to JASFAD between October 29 and December 31, 2024, while a further N426.1 million was allegedly transferred between January 3 and March 14, 2025.
Aliyu Abubakar, who operates JASFAD Resources Enterprises, and Jaja are among those facing the charges.
The defendants have denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty as the trial continues.
