EFCC Moves To Re-Arraign Top National Assembly Directors Over Alleged N337million Fraud, Corruption Charges
EFCC Moves To Re-Arraign Top National Assembly Directors Over Alleged N337million Fraud, Corruption Charges
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly conspired to divert and misappropriate a total sum of N337,062,350 between 2017 and 2019.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday sought to re-arraign three senior officials of Nigeria’s National Assembly before the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Jikwoyi, Abuja, over their alleged involvement in a N337,062,350 fraud case.
The defendants are; Aishatu Bappa El-Nafaty, Director of the Public Affairs Department in the Directorate of Special Duties and Parliamentary Security of the National Assembly; Mamud Alhaji Abubakar, a former Permanent Secretary in the services of the National Assembly; and Igba Ityoakura Joseph, a Deputy Director of Procurement in the National Assembly.
The anti-graft agency sought to re-arraign the trio before Justice Muhammed Zubairu on an amended 23-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, criminal breach of trust, official corruption and the alleged illegal conversion of funds belonging to the National Assembly.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly conspired to divert and misappropriate a total sum of N337,062,350 between 2017 and 2019.
However, the planned re-arraignment could not proceed after counsel to the second defendant, Mamud Alhaji Abubakar, filed a preliminary objection challenging portions of the amended charge.
The objection, filed by senior lawyer Muhammed Ndayako (SAN), urged the court to strike out counts three, four, five, six, seven and 18 of the amended charge dated October 8, 2025.
Ndayako argued that the counts were incompetent and amounted to an attempt by the prosecution to revive charges that had already been quashed by the court.
He maintained that the affected counts had previously been struck out pursuant to a ruling delivered by Justice Muhammed Zubairu on May 12, 2025.
Responding to the objection, counsel for the EFCC, Francis Usani, complained that the defence served the application on the prosecution at very short notice.
Usani told the court that the prosecution only received the objection on Friday, June 5, 2026, despite the fact that the defendants had more than a month from the last adjourned date to file any challenge to the amended charge.
The prosecutor argued that the timing of the application appeared designed to frustrate the planned re-arraignment.
According to him, while the prosecution intended to file a formal response to the objection, the court should dismiss it outright.
Usani described the application as “frivolous” and “incompetent” and urged the court to strike it out and direct the defendants to take their pleas on the amended charge.
Court documents showed that Count One of the amended charge accuses the three defendants of conspiring to commit criminal breach of trust while serving in various capacities within the National Assembly.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Aishatu Bappa El-Nafaty whilst being a Deputy Director and Head, Training and Welfare officer of the National Assembly and now a Director in the Public Affair Department in the Directorate of Special Duties and Parliamentary Security, Mamud Alhaji Abubakar, being a former Permanent Secretary in the services of the National Assembly, (NASS) and Igba Ityoakura Joseph, while being in the office of the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly (NASS) sometime between year 2017 and 2019, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, did conspire amongst yourselves to do an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust by a public officer and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 97 of the Panel Code, Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.”
The EFCC further alleged in Count Three that El-Nafaty dishonestly converted public funds amounting to N89,871,225 to her personal use.
Count three reads: “That you, Aishatu Bappa El-Nafaty whilst being a Deputy Director and Head, Training and Welfare officer of the National Assembly and now Director in the Public Affairs department in the directorate of Special Duties and Parliamentary Security (NASS) sometime between year 2017 and 2019, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja while being entrusted with dominion over the sum of N89,871,225.00( Eighty Nine Million, Eight hundred and seventy one thousand, two hundred and twenty five Naira only) transferred from the National Assembly Management Overhead Account No.000098216 and National Assembly General Services account No.000098223, domiciled in SunTrust Bank Plc to account No. 0000998281, belonging to you, domiciled in SunTrust bank Plc dishonestly misappropriated and converted to your own use the said sum and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 of the Panel Code, Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and Punishable Under section 312 of the same Law.”
According to the EFCC, the alleged conduct contravenes Sections 311 and 312 of the Penal Code.
In Count 10, the anti-corruption agency accused El-Nafaty of allegedly forging payment receipts purportedly issued by Fazah Integrated Services Limited.
Count 10 reads: “That you Aishatu Bappa El-Nafaty whilst being a deputy Director and Head, Training and Welfare of staff of the National Assembly and now a Director in Public Affairs Department in the Directorate, Specials Duties and Parliamentary Security between 2017 and 2018, within the jurisdiction of the Federal Capital territory, Abuja, did with intent to defraud make false receipts: Fazh Integrated Services Ltd (FISL) showing evidence of payment received from you and with different amount/dates, purported to have been issued or emanated from Fazah Integrated Services Ltd, which you know to be false and with intent that it may be acted upon as genuine and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 362 of Panel Code, Cap 532(Laws of the federation of Nigeria) Abuja 1990 and punishable under Section 364 of the same.”
The EFCC alleged that the act constituted an offence contrary to Sections 362 and 364 of the Penal Code.
During proceedings, counsel informed the court that the first defendant, El-Nafaty, was also interested in filing a similar preliminary objection challenging aspects of the amended charge.
Following the development, Justice Zubairu directed that the first defendant must file her objection within 48 hours.
The judge further ruled that, in the interest of justice and fair hearing, the prosecution should be given adequate time to respond to the objections before any further proceedings could take place.
However, Justice Zubairu adjourned the matter until September 23, 2026, for the hearing of the preliminary objections and for further proceedings in the case.
