The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano Zonal Command, on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, arraigned five officials of...
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano Zonal Command, on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, arraigned five officials of the Katsina State Board of Internal Revenue and one First Bank staff member before Justice Musa Danladi of the Katsina State High Court over an alleged ₦1.2 billion fraud.
The six defendants—Nura Lawal, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim Mamman, Abubakar Saidu, Rabiu Adamu Abdullahi, and Adam Alhassan Albashir (a Public Sector Relationship Manager at First Bank)—were arraigned on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy and criminal diversion of public funds.
According to the EFCC, the funds—totaling ₦1,235,330,000—were tax revenues due to the Katsina State Government from international organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières, and the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA).
One of the charges reads: "That you... between January 2022 and August 2024, being staff of the Board of Internal Revenue Services, Katsina, and Public Sector Relationship Manager of First Bank, conspired to unlawfully convert to your personal use tax payments meant for the Katsina State Government, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 58 and punishable under Section 298 of the Penal Code Law of Katsina State."
All six defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecution counsel Musa Isah requested the court to set a date for trial, while defence lawyers applied for bail on behalf of their clients. Isah opposed the bail applications, citing the gravity of the allegations.
Justice Danladi, after hearing arguments from both sides, granted each defendant bail in the sum of ₦5 million, with one surety required. The surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and own verifiable landed property. The case was adjourned to October 27, 2025, for the commencement of trial.
Preliminary investigations by the EFCC revealed that Rabiu Abdullahi, then Director of Collections and now Permanent Secretary at the Board, authorized the opening of a bank account under the name “BOIRS” at Sterling Bank. The account, managed by defendants Sanusi Yaro and Ibrahim Mamman as signatories, allegedly became the conduit for funneling state tax funds.
The EFCC further traced the diverted funds to NADIKKO General Suppliers, a company owned by Nura Lawal, who also serves as Assistant Director of Career Skills/Staff Welfare at the Board. The company was allegedly used as a front to launder the stolen funds, which were subsequently traced to various bank accounts linked to the suspects.
The Commission said investigations are ongoing and pledged to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion.
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