Jun 9, 2026

EFCC Seeks Fresh Arraignment of Three National Assembly Directors Over Alleged N337 Million Fraud

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in news

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has moved to re-arraign three senior officials of the National Assembly over allegations involving the diversion and mismanagement of more than N337 million in public funds.

The anti-graft agency on Monday appeared before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jikwoyi, Abuja, seeking to re-arraign the defendants on an amended 23-count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, forgery, official corruption, and the alleged unlawful conversion of government funds.

The defendants are Aishatu Bappa El-Nafaty, a Director in the Public Affairs Department under the Directorate of Special Duties and Parliamentary Security; Mahmud Alhaji Abubakar, a former Permanent Secretary in the National Assembly Service; and Igba Ityoakura Joseph, a Deputy Director of Procurement in the National Assembly.

According to the EFCC, the trio allegedly participated in a scheme between 2017 and 2019 that resulted in the diversion of N337,062,350 belonging to the National Assembly.

However, proceedings were stalled after counsel to the second defendant, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Muhammed Ndayako, filed a preliminary objection challenging parts of the amended charge.

The defence argued that several counts in the fresh charge had already been struck out by the court in an earlier ruling delivered on May 12, 2025, and therefore could not be revived through an amended charge.

Specifically, the defence asked the court to dismiss counts three, four, five, six, seven and eighteen, describing them as incompetent and legally unsustainable.

Responding, EFCC counsel Francis Usani criticized the timing of the objection, noting that it was served on the prosecution only days before the scheduled re-arraignment despite the defence having had ample time to file it.

Usani urged the court to dismiss the objection, arguing that it was frivolous and designed solely to delay the defendants’ plea on the amended charges.

At the centre of the case are allegations that El-Nafaty, while serving as Deputy Director and Head of Training and Welfare in the National Assembly, unlawfully diverted public funds entrusted to her office.

One of the charges alleges that she converted nearly N90 million transferred from National Assembly accounts into a personal bank account.

The EFCC further accused her of allegedly producing false receipts purportedly issued by a private company, Fazah Integrated Services Limited, to conceal or justify certain financial transactions.

Prosecutors claim the documents contained discrepancies in amounts and dates and were intended to deceive investigators and auditors.

When the matter came up in court, El-Nafaty’s legal team indicated that it intended to file a similar objection challenging aspects of the amended charge. Justice Muhammed Zubairu subsequently granted the request and directed that the application be filed within 48 hours.

The judge also ordered the prosecution to formally respond to the objections before any further proceedings could take place.

Following arguments from both sides, the court adjourned the matter until September 23, 2026, when it will hear the preliminary objections and determine whether the amended charges can proceed.

The case is one of several high-profile corruption prosecutions involving former and serving public officials, as anti-corruption agencies continue efforts to recover public funds and strengthen accountability within government institutions.