EFCC ARRAIGNS KATSINA TAX OFFICIALS, BANKER OVER N1.2BN FRAUD
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arraigned five officials of the Katsina State Board of Internal Revenue and a First Bank staff member over an alleged N1.2 billion fraud involving diverted tax remittances.
The accused Nura Lawal, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim Mamman, Abubakar Saidu, Rabiu Adamu Abdullahi, and Adam Alhassan Albashir, a Public Sector Relationship Manager with First Bank were brought before Justice Musa Danladi of the Katsina State High Court on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy and criminal diversion of public funds.
According to a statement by the EFCC’s Kano Zonal Directorate on Wednesday, the sum of N1,235,330,000 was allegedly siphoned between January 2022 and August 2024. The funds, meant as tax remittances to the Katsina State Government, were payments from international health organisations including the World Health Organization (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA).
All six defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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 to August, 2024 at Katsina… 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…”
Prosecution counsel Musa Isah requested a date for trial, while defence lawyers filed bail applications on behalf of their clients. Isah opposed the applications.
Justice Danladi granted each defendant bail in the sum of N5 million with one reliable surety who must reside within the court’s jurisdiction. The surety must also present verifiable documents of landed property, to be confirmed by the court registrar.
The case was adjourned to October 27, 2025, for trial.
EFCC investigations revealed that Rabiu Abdullahi, a former Director of Collections and now Permanent Secretary of the Board, allegedly authorised the creation of an unauthorised account named “BOIRS” with Sterling Bank. Two other defendants, Sanusi Yaro and Ibrahim Mamman, were made sole signatories to the account.
The Commission further alleged that the account was used to divert public funds to a company, NADIKKO General Suppliers, owned by Nura Lawal, one of the accused. Lawal and the company were allegedly key players in laundering the proceeds through multiple bank accounts connected to the suspects.
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