The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Lawal Babale Musa before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan over allegations of forgery, document alteration, and stealing involving ₦56.4 million meant for the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage. The arraignment took place on Thursday, August 13, 2026, before Justice Olusola Adetujoye, following a charge filed by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC. Musa faces 57 counts related to the alleged conversion of funds belonging to Ibrahim Shuaibu and others, intended for Hajj facilitation through the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency.
According to the EFCC, the offences occurred between November 2, 2022, and July 22, 2024, in Ibadan. The primary charge alleges that Musa converted ₦56,491,000—funds raised by Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa, and Usman Haruna—for his personal use. This act is said to contravene Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000, which criminalizes stealing by conversion.
In addition to theft, Musa is accused of forging a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency receipt numbered 0013041 in the name of Jibril Adamu on or about November 10, 2023. The forged document was allegedly created with intent to deceive and pass as genuine, violating Section 465 of the Criminal Code Law, punishable under Section 467. He is also charged with altering another receipt, number 012654, issued to Jibril Adamu on February 2, 2024, an offence under Section 468 of the same law.
When the charges were read to him, Musa pleaded not guilty. EFCC counsel Bashir Shamsuddeen requested the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendant in custody. Musa’s legal representative, Kehinde Adegbola, informed the court that a bail application had been filed on liberal terms. In response, Justice Adetujoye adjourned the matter until August 17, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application and ordered Musa to be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre.
The case stems from an arrangement where Musa approached Ibrahim Shuaibu, claiming to work for the Kaduna State Government and offering to facilitate the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage. Shuaibu then informed several friends, including cattle breeders from Oke-Ogun in Ibadan, who collectively contributed ₦56,491,000. The money was paid to Shuaibu, who transferred it to Musa for pilgrimage arrangements. However, none of the individuals successfully undertook the Hajj, leading to suspicions of fraud and prompting the EFCC investigation.
This development underscores ongoing efforts by Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies to combat financial crimes, especially those exploiting religious pilgrimages. The case remains pending, with the next hearing scheduled to determine whether Musa will be granted bail.
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