Contract Kickback Scandal: Former FUDMA VC Arraigned Over N19.7m Fraud

​KATSINA – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially docked the former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Dutsinma (FUDMA), Professor Armaya’u Hamisu Bichi, over allegations of orchestrating a N19.7 million bribery scheme involving university contracts.

​Arraigned on Thursday, February 5, 2026, before Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar at the Katsina State High Court, Bichi faces a five-count charge bordering on bribery and the abuse of public office. The Kano Zonal Directorate of the EFCC also joined two alleged accomplices, Lawal Tukur Mani and Aliyu Lawal Jari, in the suit, identifying them as the conduits through which the illicit funds were funneled.

​The Anatomy of the Bribery

​The prosecution’s case hinges on several high-value transactions allegedly conducted during Bichi’s tenure. According to court documents, Bichi allegedly solicited and received kickbacks from contractors as a “reward” for awarding lucrative university projects.

​Specifically, one charge detailed a July 2023 transaction where the former VC allegedly obtained N5 million from Theophilus Ilechukwu of Goezek International Agency Nigeria Limited. The sum was purportedly a gratification for securing contracts to supply medical equipment and furnish laboratory facilities at the institution. The EFCC alleges the funds were diverted into a personal Access Bank account belonging to the third defendant, Aliyu Lawal Jari.

​Plea and Legal Tug-of-War

​Standing before the court, Professor Bichi and his co-defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges. Following the plea, EFCC counsel Salihu Sani requested a firm trial date, indicating the commission’s readiness to present witnesses and documentary evidence to prove the alleged corruption.

​In response, the defense team, led by A. L. Yusuf and Raphael Henry, filed urgent bail applications, urging the court to grant their clients temporary freedom pending the determination of the case.

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​Court Ruling and Next Steps

​Justice Abubakar, after considering the arguments, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N5 million each, requiring one surety in the same amount.

​The court has adjourned the matter to March 12, 2026, for the formal commencement of the trial. This case marks another significant step in the EFCC’s ongoing scrutiny of financial management within Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, following years of administrative turbulence and previous investigations into the university’s procurement processes.