The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday sought to re-arraign three senior officials of the National Assembly over an alleged N337 million fraud before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Jikwoyi, Abuja.
Defendants and Charges
The defendants are the Director of Public Affairs in the Directorate of Special Duties and Parliamentary Security, Aishatu Bappa El-Nafaty; a former Permanent Secretary in the National Assembly Service, Mahmud Alhaji Abubakar; and a Deputy Director of Procurement, Igba Ityoakura Joseph. The anti-graft agency filed an amended 23-count charge against the trio, accusing them of conspiracy, forgery, criminal breach of trust, official corruption, and the alleged diversion of N337,062,350 belonging to the National Assembly.
Court Proceedings Stalled
However, the planned re-arraignment was stalled after counsel to the second defendant, Muhammed Ndayako (SAN), raised a preliminary objection challenging portions of the amended charge. Ndayako urged the court to strike out counts three, four, five, six, seven, and 18, arguing that they were incompetent and amounted to an attempt to revive charges that had earlier been quashed by the court in a ruling delivered on May 12, 2025.
Prosecution's Response
Responding, EFCC prosecuting counsel, Francis Usani, expressed dissatisfaction over the timing of the objection, noting that it was served on the prosecution only on June 5, three days before the scheduled re-arraignment. Usani argued that the objection was frivolous, incompetent, and aimed at frustrating the defendants' re-arraignment. He further urged the court to dismiss it and allow the accused persons to take their pleas on the amended charges.
Alleged Fraud Timeline
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly conspired between 2017 and 2019 to commit criminal breach of trust while serving in various capacities within the National Assembly. The case has been adjourned to a later date for hearing of the preliminary objection.
