The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned six individuals, including five senior officials of the Katsina State Board of Internal Revenue and a First Bank employee, over an alleged diversion of N1.2 billion in tax remittances meant for the state government.
The suspects Nura Lawal, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim Mamman, Abubakar Saidu, Rabiu Adamu Abdullahi, and Adam Alhassan Albashir were brought before Justice Musa Danladi of the Katsina State High Court on Tuesday. They face a seven-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and the unlawful diversion of public funds.
According to a statement released by the EFCC’s Kano Zonal Directorate on Wednesday, the defendants allegedly diverted a total of N1,235,330,000, tax payments received from international organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières, and the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA).
The remittances, which were meant for the Katsina State Government, were reportedly funneled through unauthorized channels and siphoned into private accounts.
One of the charges against the accused reads:
“That you Nura Lawal, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim Mamman, Abubakar Saidu, Rabiu Adamu Abdullahi and Adam Alhassan Albashir between January 2022 and August 2024 at Katsina, within the jurisdiction of the Katsina State High Court, being staff of BOIRS and Public Sector Relationship Manager of First Bank, conspired among yourselves to unlawfully convert to your personal use the tax payments meant for the Katsina State Government, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 58 of the Penal Code Law of Katsina State and punishable under Section 298 of the same law.”
All six defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their pleas, EFCC counsel Musa Isah urged the court to set a trial date. However, defence lawyers filed separate bail applications on behalf of their clients, a motion Isah opposed.
After hearing both sides, Justice Danladi granted bail to each defendant in the sum of N5 million, with one reliable surety residing within the court’s jurisdiction. The surety must possess verifiable landed property, with the title documents to be authenticated by the court registrar.
The trial has been adjourned to October 27, 2025.
Further investigations by the EFCC revealed that Rabiu Abdullahi, a former Director of Collections and current Permanent Secretary of the Board, allegedly authorised the opening of an unauthorized account under the name “BOIRS” with Sterling Bank. The account, with Sanusi Mohammed Yaro and Ibrahim Mamman as sole signatories, became the conduit for diverting public funds.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the diverted funds were funneled into accounts belonging to NADIKKO General Suppliers, a company allegedly owned and operated by Nura Lawal, an Assistant Director in the Board’s Career Skills/Staff Welfare unit. Lawal and the company reportedly played a key role in laundering the proceeds, which were traced to multiple bank accounts linked to the suspects.
The EFCC said investigations are ongoing as it seeks to fully unravel the extent of the conspiracy and recover public funds.