The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Lawal Babale Musa before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan over alleged forgery, uttering of documents and stealing involving N56.49 million.
Musa was arraigned on Thursday, August 13, 2026, by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC before Justice Olusola Adetujoye.
The 57-count charge relates to allegations that the defendant diverted money paid for the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage and allegedly forged and presented receipts purportedly issued by the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency.
According to the prosecution, Musa allegedly converted N56,491,000 belonging to Ibrahim Shuaibu and several prospective pilgrims to his personal use.
One of the counts alleged that Musa obtained the funds after claiming that he worked for the Kaduna State Government and could facilitate participation in the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage.
The prosecution further alleged that he forged a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency receipt in the name of one of the prospective pilgrims and subsequently presented another allegedly forged receipt as genuine.
Musa pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Bashir Shamsuddeen, asked the court to remand the defendant and fix a date for trial.
Defence counsel, Kehinde Adegbola, however, informed the court that he had filed a bail application and urged the court to admit his client to bail on liberal terms.
Justice Adetujoye adjourned the case until August 17, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and ordered that Musa be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre.
The EFCC said the case began after Shuaibu allegedly approached Musa to facilitate Hajj arrangements. Shuaibu subsequently informed several cattle breeders in Oke-Ogun, Ibadan, who collectively paid N56.49 million through him to Musa for the pilgrimage.
The prospective pilgrims, identified as Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa and Usman Haruna, were allegedly unable to travel for the 2023 Hajj after Musa failed to fulfil the arrangement.
