Ex-Nigerian Navy Accounts Director Wanted By EFCC Over Alleged N2bn Fraud Seen Moving Freely In Kaduna
Ex-Nigerian Navy Accounts Director Wanted By EFCC Over Alleged N2bn Fraud Seen Moving Freely In Kaduna
The EFCC had in October 2022 told a Federal High Court in Abuja that Yusuf was on the run and could not be reached.
Aformer Director of Accounts of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Tahir Yusuf (Rtd), who was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N2 billion fraud, has again been sighted moving freely in Nigeria.
The EFCC had in October 2022 told a Federal High Court in Abuja that Yusuf was on the run and could not be reached.
Sources told SaharaReporters that the retired senior officer was seen this week in a residential area of Kaduna State, the same city where the EFCC sealed several properties linked to him.
WATCH: Ex-Nigerian Navy Accounts Director Wanted By EFCC Over Alleged N2bn Fraud Spotted In Kaduna, Assaults Resident https://t.co/1olUjZ6yCA
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) October 11, 2026
This comes months after a similar report by SaharaReporters that he was sighted in Abuja moving with security aides despite being on the EFCC wanted list and the Nigeria Immigration Service watchlist.
He is being prosecuted by the Nigerian Government through the anti-graft agency for allegedly stealing N2 billion while serving as Director of Nigerian Navy Accounts.
The anti-graft agency claimed that all efforts to locate Yusuf’s whereabouts had proved unsuccessful since March 16, 2022, when nine counts were filed against him.
The EFCC’s counsel, Mr Cosmas Obeta Ugwu, had lamented that the defendant could not be found and therefore could not be brought before the court to defend the criminal charges against him.
A fresh video obtained by SaharaReporters showed the retired military officer in Kaduna.
He was seen in a light-blue kaftan standing beside a silver Mercedes-Benz car parked on the grass verge with his hands behind his back.
Near him, a woman in a brown hijab was seen filming with her phone, pointing towards him.
In the background, a man in military camouflage uniform said to be a naval officer was standing near the gate, while a red Volkswagen Passat station wagon was parked nearby with people moving in and out.
The case against Yusuf dates back to his time as Director of Navy Accounts.
The EFCC told the Federal High Court in Abuja that it received intelligence on unusual transfers from the Nigerian Navy’s official account to personal accounts belonging to Yusuf and another retired officer, Babajide Oguntade.
Investigators alleged that about N2 billion was moved into a joint account operated by the two officers under the name Bitmas Enterprise and was spent. The commission also said it uncovered seven other bank accounts belonging solely to Yusuf in Zenith Bank Plc and Skye Bank Plc (now Polaris Bank).
The charge sheet revealed that on March 14, 2012, Yusuf allegedly took possession of N135.4 million which he lodged in his Bitmas Enterprises account, 1001439871.
The money was transferred from the Defence Intelligence Agency personnel account, while another N197.8 million was also transferred in the same manner into the Bitmas account.
The EFCC also charged him with unlawful transfer of N148 million from the Defence Intelligence Agency to his company account at Zenith Bank and N334 million into the same company’s account in the same manner.
Also, Yusuf was alleged to have taken possession of another N152 million and another N20 million from the Defence Intelligence Agency transferred into the company account.
The anti-graft agency also alleged that the former Naval Chief diverted $300,000 from a Navy personal account meant for the purchase of furniture for Navy Secondary School at Okura to his company account domiciled at Zenith Bank before he escaped to an unknown destination.
EFCC counsel Elizabeth Alabi had obtained an ex-parte order from Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, granting the EFCC Chairman permission to direct the banks to freeze the accounts pending investigation.
In 2020, Justice Ojukwu went further and ordered the permanent forfeiture to the Federal Government of N392,695,857.87, plus $91,955.38 and £15,050 held in domiciliary accounts, found to have been fraudulently amassed by the retired Admiral.
Following the forfeiture, EFCC operatives sealed properties in Zaria and Kaduna allegedly bought with proceeds of the fraud.
They include Emerald Hotels and Suites in Zaria, two uncompleted buildings in Zaria and Kaduna and Bitmas Bakery Limited in Zaria.
Yusuf fled Nigeria to Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2018 after he was invited by the EFCC and was subsequently declared wanted.
The EFCC later wrote to the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, asking that Yusuf be placed on its watchlist and that the commission be alerted whenever he travelled through any airport or border.
However, in October 2021, SaharaReporters exclusively reported that Yusuf had sneaked back into Nigeria through Niger Republic using allegedly fake travel documents procured with the help of compromised officials.
Since then, he has reportedly been shuttling between Abuja and Kaduna without being re-arrested.
The repeated sightings have raised concerns about the effectiveness of the wanted list and whether the retired officer is enjoying protection.
