Alleged ₦1.6bn Fraud: Bauchi AG Denied Permission For 2026 Hajj

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday rejected an application filed by the Accountant General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, seeking permission to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hajj and medical check-up.

The trial judge, Justice O.A. Egwuatu, declined the request after the prosecution argued that the defendant could abscond, insisting that he constituted a flight risk because some other parties linked to the case were still at large.

Jaja is currently standing trial alongside a bureau de change operator, Aliyu Abubakar, in a case instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged money laundering and diversion of Bauchi State Government funds amounting to ₦1.6bn.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, counsel to the second defendant, Chris Uche (SAN), informed the court that his client had filed an application seeking leave to travel to Saudi Arabia for two weeks.

According to him, the trip was for the purpose of performing the Muslim pilgrimage and undergoing medical examination.

However, the prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed (SAN), opposed the application, telling the court that the anti-graft agency had already filed a response against the request.

Muhammed argued that granting the application could jeopardise the trial, stressing that the defendant posed a flight risk.

“The defendant is a flight risk, with other parties in the charge being at-large,” the prosecution counsel told the court.

He further informed the court that the EFCC opposed the application through a 10-paragraph affidavit filed on March 13, 2026.

After listening to arguments from both parties, Justice Egwuatu struck out the application and refused to grant the permission sought by the Bauchi State Accountant General.

The court subsequently adjourned the matter until June 30, 2026, for continuation of trial.

Jaja and his co-defendant are being prosecuted on an amended five-count charge bordering on alleged conversion of Bauchi State Government funds and money laundering amounting to ₦1.6bn.