The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday January 20, 2026, arraigned one Aliyu Bala Umar, a staff of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), and a staff of a First Bank, before the Federal High Court in Lafia, over an alleged fraud of over ₦336 million.
Ninecount charge ranging from fraudulent taking of money to financial cyber fraud were mentioned against them during their arraignment in Lafia.
The EFCC prosecuting counsel, Uwaisu Yusuf, told the court that between March and September 2021, Aliyu Bala Umar fraudulently took various sums of money totalling ₦336 million from one Mallam Ishaku Danladi Abari, a retired permanent secretary from the Nasarawa State Civil Service who had ventured into business to make all ends meet.
According to him, the money was to facilitate a contract which was purported company, Bamo Value Integrated Services Limited, had secured to supply five million, fifty kg bags of rice for a period of two years value at over two hundred billion naira to an organisation named United Nations Rescue Service, which was later found out to be a non-existent firm.
The prosecuting counsel further stated that following the investigation, the accused, Aliyu Bala, connived with one Ambrose Idama, a staff member of First Bank and authorised a letter to transfer the sum of one hundred thousand Naira from his account in another bank to the account of non-existent organisation, Prowess Energy Limited.
After listening to the matter, the presiding judge, Mobolaji Olubukola Olajuwon granted bail to Aliyu Bala Umar, who is representing the first and second defendants, to the sum of one hundred and fifty million Naira each, with two sureties each with landed property value at more than the bail sums, located either in Abuja or Nasarawa State.
The third defendant, Ambrose Idama was also granted bail for the sum of #100 million and two sureties who are close relations with landed properties either in Abuja or Nasarawa State.
The sureties themselves are to fulfill certain conditions, including evidence of tax payments for three years, two recent passport photographs, and to deposit the original documents of the landed properties in the court.
The presiding judge ordered that the accused should remain in the custodial centres pending when they perfect their bail conditions.
The case has been adjourned to the second of March, 2026, for hearing.
Source: Legit.
