A 57-count criminal case has been filed against Lawal Babale Musa over allegations that he collected N56.4m from intending Hajj pilgrims but failed to secure their participation in the 2023 pilgrimage.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission brought Musa before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan on Thursday, accusing him of offences including stealing by conversion, forgery and the use of allegedly falsified documents.
The defendant appeared before Justice Olusola Adetujoye following investigations by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the anti-graft agency. He pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
According to the prosecution, the money was raised by a group of intending pilgrims and paid to Ibrahim Shuaibu after Musa allegedly claimed he had connections that could help facilitate their Hajj arrangements through the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency.
The EFCC said the beneficiaries included Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa and Usman Haruna, who were said to be cattle breeders in the Oke-Ogun area.
The commission alleged that after receiving the funds, Musa failed to make the promised arrangements, leaving the intending pilgrims unable to travel to Saudi Arabia for the 2023 Hajj.
It further accused him of allegedly fabricating and presenting receipts bearing the name of the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, including documents purportedly issued to Adamu, in an attempt to give the transaction an appearance of legitimacy.
After the defendant entered his plea, EFCC counsel, Bashir Shamsuddeen, requested that the court remand him and proceed with the trial process. His lawyer, Kehinde Adegbola, opposed the request and informed the court that he had submitted an application seeking bail.
Justice Adetujoye ordered Musa to be held at the Agodi Correctional Centre and fixed August 17, 2026, for hearing of the bail application. The allegations have yet to be proved in court.
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