How N1.2bn was illegally moved by Katsina officials, FirstBank staff – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned five senior officials of the Katsina State Board of Internal Revenue, along with a manager from FirstBank of Nigeria, over their alleged involvement in a staggering ₦1.2 billion fraud.

The accused appeared before Justice Musa Danladi of the Katsina State High Court on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, to face a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy and unlawful diversion of public funds.

According to the EFCC, the suspects allegedly conspired to misappropriate a total of ₦1,235,330,000 funds meant for public use by manipulating internal processes and exploiting their official positions.

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The funds were said to have been payments due to the Katsina State Government from organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières, and the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA).

The defendants include: Nura Lawal, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim Mamman, Abubakar Saidu, Rabiu Adamu Abdullahi, and Adam Alhassan Albashir, who is identified as a Public Sector Relationship Manager with First Bank.

One of the charges read: “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 the 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 six defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following their pleas, EFCC counsel, Musa Isah, applied for a trial date, pledging to prove the case. In response, defence counsels filed individual bail applications, requesting that their clients be granted bail. Isah strongly opposed the bail motions.

After reviewing arguments from both sides, Justice Danladi granted each defendant bail in the sum of ₦5,000,000 (Five Million Naira). Each must produce one reliable surety residing within the court’s jurisdiction who owns a verifiable landed property. The title documents are to be confirmed by the court registrar.

The matter was adjourned to October 27, 2025, for the commencement of trial.

According to EFCC investigations, Rabiu Abdullahi, former Director of Collections and current Permanent Secretary of the Board, authorized the opening of a bank account in the name of “BOIRS” at FirstBank. He reportedly appointed Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Director of Revenue Account, and Ibrahim Mamman as the sole signatories.

The account allegedly served as the main channel for diverting funds to NADIKKO General Suppliers, a company reportedly owned and controlled by Nura Lawal, who serves as the Board’s Assistant Director of Career Skills/Staff Welfare.

Further investigations revealed that Nura Lawal and his company NADIKKO were central to laundering the diverted public funds, which were traced to various accounts linked to the suspects.