The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned Lawal Babale Musa before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan over alleged forgery, altering of documents and stealing involving ₦56.4 million meant for the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage.

A statement by the agency, said Musa was arraigned on Thursday, August 13, 2026, by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC before Justice Olusola Adetujoye.

The defendant is facing a 57-count charge over the alleged conversion of ₦56,491,000 belonging to Ibrahim Shuaibu and others for the purpose of facilitating Hajj pilgrimage through the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency.

According to the EFCC, the alleged offences were committed in Ibadan between November 2, 2022 and July 22, 2024.The first count alleged that Musa converted the sum of ₦56,491,000 meant for the Hajj pilgrimage of Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa and Usman Haruna.

The charge states, “That you, Lawal Babale Musa ‘M’ on or between 2nd November, 2022 to 22nd July, 2024 at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, converted to your own personal use, total sum of N56,491, 000.00 (Fifty-six Million, Four Hundred and Ninety-one Thousand Naira) from Ibrahim Shuaibu the sums meant for Hajj pilgrimage through Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency for Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa and Usman Haruna and thereby committed an offence of stealing by conversion contrary to Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

Another count accused Musa of forging a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency receipt numbered 0013041 in the name of Jibril Adamu.

The charge reads, “That you, Lawal Babale Musa ‘M’ on or about 10th day of November, 2023 at Ibadan, Oyo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, forged a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency Receipt Number: 0013041 in the name of Jibril Adamu with intent that it may be acted upon as genuine and thereby committed an offence of Forgery of document contrary to Section 465 and punishable under Section 467 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

The defendant was also accused of altering another Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency receipt, numbered 012654, to Jibril Adamu on February 2, 2024.

The charge states: “That you, Lawal Babale Musa ‘M’ on or about 2nd of February, 2024 at Ibadan, Oyo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, uttered a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency Receipt with Receipt Number: 012654 to one Jibril Adamu with intent that it may be acted upon as genuine and thereby committed an offence of uttering of document contrary to Section 468 and punishable under Section 467 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State. 2000.”

Musa pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.

Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Bashir Shamsuddeen, asked the court to fix a date for trial and remand the defendant in a Correctional Centre.

However, counsel to Musa, Kehinde Adegbola, told the court that he had filed a motion seeking bail for his client on liberal terms.

Justice Adetujoye subsequently adjourned the matter until August 17, 2026, for hearing of the bail application.

The judge also ordered that Musa be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre.

The case followed an alleged arrangement in which Musa approached Ibrahim Shuaibu, claiming that he worked for the Kaduna State Government and could assist in facilitating the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage.

Following the claim, Shuaibu reportedly informed some of his friends, including Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa and Usman Haruna.

The individuals, who are involved in cattle breeding and rearing in the Oke-Ogun area of Ibadan, Oyo State, were said to have collectively raised ₦56,491,000 for the pilgrimage.

The money was reportedly paid to Shuaibu, who subsequently transferred it to Musa to facilitate the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage.

However, according to the EFCC, none of the individuals was able to travel to Saudi Arabia for the 2023 Hajj after Musa allegedly failed to fulfil his promise.

The matter has now been adjourned for the hearing of the defendant’s bail application.

The Anambra State Police Command has recovered two locally fabricated pistols and three caps bearing an inscription linked to the Vikings Confraternity from an abandoned motorcycle in Awka North Local Government Area.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said in a statement that the items were recovered by operatives of the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit during a routine patrol along the Isuaniocha Bridge on Thursday.

According to him, the officers sighted two young men riding a black Sanyang motorcycle without a registration number. The riders suddenly made a reckless turn after spotting the police team, prompting the officers to pursue them.

“The Anambra State Police Command has recorded another significant feat during a routine patrol operation with operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit. During the operation, the team recovered two fabricated pistols and three caps bearing an inscription associated with a secret cult from an abandoned motorcycle in Awka North Local Government Area,” the statement said.

“The suspects, on sighting the Police team, suddenly and recklessly turned the motorcycle in an apparent attempt to evade the operatives. The suspicious action prompted the officers to give them a hot chase.

“During the pursuit, the suspects fell from the motorcycle and abandoned it, together with two slippers and a bag, before fleeing into a nearby bush. A search of the abandoned bag subsequently led to the recovery of two fabricated pistols and three caps bearing an inscription associated with the Vikings Confraternity.”

Ikenga said efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and establish their identities, affiliations and the circumstances surrounding the possession of the recovered items.

Enugu State Police Command has arrested and paraded 14 kidnap suspects involved in various kidnap operations in and outside the state.

Briefing journalists at the Command’s headquarters in Enugu on Friday, the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, said among them were two remaining suspects linked to the August 2 kidnapping raid on St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Affa, Udi LGA of the state, who fled to Port Harcourt following the operational pressure mounted by joint security operatives.

“Further intelligence-led operations by the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Violent Crime Response Unit (AK-VCRU) led to the arrest of two additional male suspects linked to the Affa Church kidnapping. Preliminary investigation reveals that, after fleeing Enugu, the suspects regrouped with their cohorts in Port Harcourt and abducted another victim, who was released after a ransom of N5m was paid,” he said.

CP Giwa noted that all the 14 suspects were arrested on various dates in June, July and August 2026 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Rivers, Kwara and Taraba States.

The suspects had also confessed to involvement in several recent and past kidnapping incidents along the Enugu–Ugwuogo–Opi–Nsukka Road, Obioma–9th Mile–Umulumgbe–Okpatu Road, Eke–Affa–Egede–Ezinze axis, and various locations in Ezeagu LGA.

“Specifically, preliminary investigation has linked the suspects to the following armed kidnapping incidents: the abduction of a male victim at Mgbabuowa/Aguobuowa, Ezeagu LGA, on 25th May, 2026, during which N5m was obtained as ransom; the abduction of two male victims and the shooting and murder of a female victim at Obioma, Udi LGA, on 9th May, 2026, during which the gang obtained $28,700 as ransom; the abduction of two male victims along the Eke–Ezinze Road, Udi LGA, on 10th April, 2026, for which $70,000 was obtained as ransom; and the kidnapping of seven victims at Obinaofia, Ezeagu LGA, on 12th April, 2026, during which N25m was obtained as ransom,” he explained.

The CP revealed that the suspects, who were members of an organised criminal network operating from different parts of the country, usually came into the state to plan and execute kidnapping operations before disappearing to their respective locations.

“The network is aided by an Enugu-based member who operates a tricycle and provides transportation for the gang members, their firearms and other criminal implements to and from operational locations. Another Enugu-based member provides intelligence that enables the gang to evade security surveillance and identify suitable targets and locations,” he added.

According to Giwa, investigation revealed that the suspects laundered and concealed proceeds of their criminal activities through investments in livestock and different properties, and engaged in lavish spending as well as leisure and trips to foreign nations such as Cameroon.

He said the Command was still conducting more investigations to establish the suspects’ involvement in other kidnapping and violent-crime incidents within and outside Enugu State, identify and arrest other members of the syndicate, and recover additional firearms, ammunition and other criminal proceeds.

“Upon conclusion of investigation, the suspects will be charged to court in accordance with extant laws’” he added.

The police command also displayed five AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns, one locally fabricated firearm, 310 rounds of live 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, eight live cartridges, and seven empty AK-47 magazines recovered from the suspects.

CP Giwa credited the successes recorded by the Enugu Police Command to the availability of state-of-the-art security infrastructure, effectiveness of sustained intelligence gathering, ICT-enabled investigation, inter-agency collaboration, inter-state cooperation and coordinated operational policing adopted by the Command.

He commended Governor Peter Mbah and the Inspector General of Police for their leadership and support in ensuring security and order in Enugu State.

“I would also like to express my profound gratitude to Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for his for-looking leadership and for making the state safe.

“I equally commend other security agencies for their collaborative support, while also thanking members of the public for their continued cooperation,” he concluded.

The CP reiterated police’s readiness to make Enugu State increasingly unconducive to unrepentant local criminals, criminal elements seeking to infiltrate the State, commending Governor Peter Mbah and IGP Disu for their strategic leadership and support.

Meanwhile, one of the suspects, confessed his crime to journalists, saying his gang operated along the stretch of Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and earned multimillion naira in ransoms before they were bursted by security forces.