The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano Zonal Directorate, has arraigned six individuals over the alleged diversion of N1.2 billion in public funds belonging to the Katsina State Government.
Those arraigned include five senior officials of the Katsina State Board of Internal Revenue and one staff member of First Bank. They appeared before Justice Musa Danladi at the Katsina State High Court.
The accused are Nura Lawal, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim Mamman, Abubakar Saidu, Rabiu Adamu Abdullahi, and Adam Alhassan Albashir, who works as a Public Sector Relationship Manager at First Bank.
They are facing a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy and the diversion of funds reportedly paid as tax by international health organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA).
According to the EFCC, between January 2022 and August 2024, the officials allegedly conspired to divert tax payments meant for the state.
One of the charges reads, “That you Nura Lawal, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim Mamman, Abubakar Saidu, Rabiu Adamu Abdullahi and Adam Alhassan Albashir between January, 2022 to August, 2024 at Katsina within the jurisdiction of the Katsina State High Court, being staff of Board of Internal Revenue Services (BOIRS), Katsina and Public Sector Relationship Manager of First Bank, in such capacity conspired among yourselves to commit an unlawful act to wit: unlawfully converted to your personal uses the tax payments meant for the Katsina State Government and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 58 of the Penal Code Law of Katsina State and punishable under Section 298 of the Same Law.”
All defendants pleaded not guilty.
EFCC counsel Musa Isah asked for a trial date, while defense lawyers requested bail for their clients. The EFCC opposed the bail applications.
Justice Danladi granted each defendant bail in the sum of N5 million. Each is required to present one surety who resides within the court’s jurisdiction and owns verifiable landed property. The court registrar is to verify the documents.
The trial is scheduled to begin on October 27, 2025.
Investigations revealed that Rabiu Adamu Abdullahi, former Director of Collections and now Permanent Secretary at the Board, approved the creation of a bank account under the name “BOIRS” at Sterling Bank.
He reportedly appointed Sanusi Mohammed Yaro and Ibrahim Mamman as sole signatories.
The EFCC stated that the account was used to divert public funds to NADIKKO General Suppliers, a company owned by Nura Lawal, an Assistant Director at the Board.
“NADIKKO was used as a major vehicle to launder the diverted funds,” the EFCC said, adding that “trails of the illicit funds were traced to various personal and corporate bank accounts linked to the suspects.”
