By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Lawal Babale Musa before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan over the alleged diversion of N56.49 million paid for the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage of 10 intending pilgrims.
Musa was arraigned on Thursday, August 13, 2026, by the EFCC Ibadan Zonal Directorate before Justice Olusola Adetujoye on a 57-count charge bordering on stealing by conversion, forgery and uttering of forged documents.
The commission alleged that Musa converted N56,491,000 belonging to Ibrahim Shuaibu, who had entrusted the money to him to facilitate the Hajj pilgrimage of 10 persons through the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency.
According to the EFCC, Musa had allegedly approached Shuaibu and claimed that he worked for the Kaduna State Government and could facilitate the pilgrims’ participation in the 2023 Hajj.
Shuaibu subsequently informed 10 of his associates, identified as Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa and Usman Haruna.
The men, who were said to be involved in cattle breeding and rearing in Oke-Ogun, Oyo State, allegedly pooled N56.491 million and paid the money to Shuaibu, who subsequently transferred it to Musa for the purported Hajj arrangements.
The EFCC alleged that Musa failed to fulfil the arrangement, resulting in none of the 10 intending pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia for the 2023 Hajj.
The commission further alleged that Musa forged a receipt purportedly issued by the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency in the name of one of the intending pilgrims.
One of the counts alleged that Musa, on November 10, 2023, at Ibadan, forged Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency Receipt No. 0013041 in the name of Jibril Adamu, allegedly with the intention that it would be acted upon as genuine.
Another count accused him of uttering a forged Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency receipt, bearing Receipt No. 012654, to Adamu on February 2, 2024.
The offences were said to be contrary to and punishable under relevant provisions of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
Musa pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Bashir Shamsuddeen, urged the court to remand the defendant in a correctional centre and fix a date for trial.
However, defence counsel, Kehinde Adegbola, informed the court that he had filed a bail application seeking the defendant’s release on liberal terms.
Justice Adetujoye subsequently adjourned the case until August 17, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and ordered that Musa be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre, Ibadan.
The defendant will remain in custody pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
The allegations against Musa have not been established by the court, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.