A 57-count fraud case involving N56.491 million allegedly collected for the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage has landed Lawal Babale Musa before an Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accusing him of stealing by conversion, forgery and altering of documents.
Musa was arraigned yesterday, Friday, August 14, 2026, before Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, reports Saturday Independent.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Musa collected the N56,491,000 from Ibrahim Shuaibu for the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage of 10 intending pilgrims through the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, but allegedly converted the money to his personal use.
According to the EFCC, the alleged offences were committed in Ibadan between November 2, 2022 and July 22, 2024, and involved forgery, uttering of documents and stealing by conversion.
The 57-count charge alleged that the money was meant to facilitate the Hajj pilgrimage of Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa and Usman Haruna.
One of the counts alleged that Musa converted the N56,491,000 entrusted to him by Shuaibu for the pilgrimage to his personal use, contrary to Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
Another count accused Musa of forging Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency Receipt Number 0013041 in the name of Jibril Adamu on November 10, 2023, allegedly with the intention that it would be acted upon as genuine.
The EFCC further alleged that Musa uttered another Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency receipt, numbered 012654, to Adamu on February 2, 2024, allegedly knowing it to be forged and intending that it be acted upon as genuine.
The alleged offences were said to contravene Sections 465 and 468 and be punishable under Section 467 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
Musa pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel, Bashir Shamsuddeen, urged the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendant in prison.
Defence counsel, Kehinde Adegbola, however, informed the court that he had filed a motion seeking to have his client admitted to bail on liberal terms.
Justice Adetujoye subsequently adjourned the matter until August 17, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and ordered that Musa be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre.
The EFCC said Musa’s alleged journey into the fraud began when he approached Ibrahim Shuaibu and represented himself as someone working for the Kaduna State Government who could facilitate the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage.
Shuaibu subsequently informed some of his friends, who were involved in cattle breeding and rearing in the Oke-Ogun area of Ibadan, about the purported opportunity.
The 10 intending pilgrims allegedly pooled N56,491,000 and paid the money to Shuaibu, who in turn transferred it to Musa to facilitate their pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
However, according to the EFCC, none of the intending pilgrims was able to attend the 2023 Hajj after Musa allegedly failed to fulfil his promise.
The case has been adjourned until August 17, 2026, for hearing of Musa’s bail application, while he remains remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre.
