The Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned a man, Lawal Musa, over an alleged pilgrimage fraud involving N56.4 million.

Musa was arraigned on Thursday before Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, on a 57-count charge bordering on forgery, uttering of documents and stealing.

According to the EFCC, Musa approached one Ibrahim Shuaibu in 2022, claiming he worked for the Kaduna State Government and could facilitate the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage.

Shuaibu then informed 10 of his friends who are cattle breeders and rearers in the Oke-Ogun area of Ibadan: Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa and Usman Haruna.

The group reportedly paid a total of N56,491,000 to Shuaibu, who transferred the money to Musa to process the pilgrimage.

The EFCC said none of the victims was able to attend the 2023 Hajj in Saudi Arabia because Musa failed to fulfil his promise.

In one of the charges, the EFCC alleged that between November 2, 2022 and July 22, 2024, Musa converted the N56,491,000 meant for Hajj through the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency to his personal use, an offence contrary to Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Law of Oyo State, 2000.

Another count accused him of forging a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency receipt numbered 0013041 in the name of Jibril Adamu on November 10, 2023. He was also accused of uttering a receipt numbered 012654 to Jibril Adamu on February 2, 2024.

When the charges were read, Musa pleaded not guilty.

Prosecution counsel, Bashir Shamsuddeen, asked the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded. Defence counsel, Kehinde Adegbola, filed a motion seeking bail on liberal terms.

Justice Adetujoye adjourned the matter to August 17, 2026 for hearing of the bail application and ordered that Musa be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre.