ABUJA, Nigeria — A Federal High Court in Abuja has denied a request by the Accountant General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, to travel to Saudi Arabia for the annual Muslim pilgrimage (Hajj) and a medical check-up.
Presiding Judge, Justice O.A. Egwuatu, delivered the ruling on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, amid the ongoing trial of Jaja and his co-defendant, Aliyu Abubakar, an unlicensed Bureau De Change operator. Both are facing a five-count amended charge involving the alleged conversion and laundering of ₦1,635,270,350.09 belonging to the Bauchi State Government.
Flight Risk Concerns
The defense counsel, Chris Uche, SAN, had moved an application seeking the temporary release of Jaja’s international passport to allow him two weeks of travel. Uche argued that the trip was intended for religious obligations and health assessments.
However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by Abba Muhammed, SAN, filed a fierce objection. The prosecution contended that Jaja poses a significant “flight risk,” particularly as other suspects linked to the case remain at large.
”The prosecution opposed the application… with a 10-paragraph affidavit. We provided cogent reasons and urged the court to reject the application,” Muhammed stated during the proceedings.
Trial Progress
Before the ruling on the travel application, the court concluded the cross-examination of the first prosecution witness (PW1), Abimbola Williams. Williams, a compliance officer with United Bank for Africa (UBA), provided testimony regarding the movement of the disputed funds.
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The EFCC alleges that the Accountant General conspired with Abubakar to siphon state funds through informal channels, a move that investigators claim was designed to bypass financial regulatory oversight.
Justice Egwuatu, in his final decision on Tuesday, struck out the application for travel, effectively grounding the state official in Nigeria until the conclusion of the trial. The case has been adjourned until June 30, 2026, for the continuation of trial.
