The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, February 5, 2026, arraigned a former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Dutsinma (FUD), Katsina State, Prof. Armaya’u Hamisu Bichi, over an alleged N19.7 million bribery scheme.
Bichi was arraigned before Honourable Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar of the Katsina State High Court on a five-count charge bordering on bribery involving the sum of N19,700,000 (Nineteen Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira only).
He was docked alongside two other defendants, Lawal Tukur Mani and Aliyu Lawal Jari, whom the EFCC alleged were used as conduits to receive the illicit payments.
According to the anti-graft agency, the alleged offences were committed while Bichi served as Vice Chancellor of FUD. The prosecution claimed that the former Vice Chancellor received kickbacks from contractors as inducement for the award of contracts within the institution.
One of the charges read in court stated, “That you Armaya’u Hamisu Bichi, sometime in July 2023 at Katsina within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while being a public servant; Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Dutsinma did obtain a bribe in the sum of N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira only) from one Theophilus Ilechukwu of Goezek International Agency Nigeria Limited as a reward for the award of contracts for the supply of medical equipment and furnishing of Laboratory at the Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State.”
The charge further stated that the money was not paid directly to Bichi but routed through a third party, adding that the sum was “paid into the Access Bank account number 152610172 belonging to Aliyu Lawal Jari,” an action which the EFCC said constituted an offence punishable under Section 79 (a), (b) & (i) of the Penal Code Law of Katsina State, 2021.
The prosecution maintained that the N5 million transaction was part of a broader scheme in which Bichi allegedly received bribes totalling N19.7 million through the second and third defendants.
The EFCC alleged that “the first defendant, Bichi, obtained the bribes through the second and third defendants from the petitioners as a kickback for various contracts awarded to them by the Federal University Dutsinma during his tenure as Vice Chancellor of the institution.”
When the charges were read, all three defendants pleaded not guilty.
Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, Salihu Sani, urged the court to fix a date for trial to enable the EFCC “assemble witnesses and prove its case.”
In response, defence counsel A. L. Yusuf and Raphael Henry each filed separate bail applications, requesting the court to admit their clients to bail pending trial.
After hearing submissions from both sides, Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar granted bail to each defendant in the sum of N5,000,000 (Five Million Naira) with one surety in like sum. The court subsequently adjourned the matter to March 12, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
The EFCC reiterated its commitment to prosecuting public officials accused of corruption and financial crimes, particularly those involving abuse of public office for personal gain.
