EFCC Moves To Re-arraign Top National Assembly Officials Over Alleged N337m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCCl, on Monday June 8, 2026, sought to re-arraign two senior workers of the National Assembly: Aishatu Bappa El-Nafaty, Mamud Alhaji Abubakar and Igba Ityoakura Joseph, before Justice Muhammed Zubairu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Jikwoyi, Abuja, for fraud.

The first defendant, El-Nafaty is the Director, Public Affairs Department in the Directorate of Special Duties and Parliamentary Security, National Assembly, Abubakar, the second defendant is a former Permanent Secretary in the Services of the National Assembly, while the third defendant, Joseph is a Deputy Director of Procurement in the National Assembly.

They were to be re-arraigned on amended 23-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, forgery, criminal breach of trust, official corruption and illegal conversion of funds belonging to the National Assembly to the tune of N337,062,350.

However, the re-arraignment could not proceed, following a preliminary objection filed by Muhammed Ndayako, SAN, counsel for the second defendant, praying the court to strike out counts three, four five, six, seven and 18 of the amended charge, dated October 8, 2025, for being “incompetent and an attempt to resuscitate already quashed counts, pursuant to a ruling delivered on May 12, 2025 by his lordship, Muhammed Zubairu.”

In his response, prosecution counsel, Francis Usani, regretted that he was served the preliminary objection at short notice, being on Friday, June 5, 2026, whereas the defendant had more than a month period from the last date of adjournment to file the objection, but waited until the eve of the re-arraignment date to file it and serve the prosecution. He added that while he intended to reply to the objection, he would straightaway urge the court to strike it out for being frivolous, incompetent and intended to frustrate the re-arraignment. And for the defendants to proceed and take their plea on the amended charge.

According to a post on the verified Facebook page of EFCC on Monday night, Count one of the charge read: “That you, Aishatu Bappa El-Nafaty whilst being a Deputy Director and Head, Training and Welfare officer of the National Assembly and now a Director in the Public Affair Department in the Directorate of Special Duties and Parliamentary Security, Mamud Alhaji Abubakar, being a former Permanent Secretary in the services of the National Assembly, (NASS) and Igba Ityoakura Joseph, while being in the office of the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly (NASS) sometime between year 2017 and 2019, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, did conspire amongst yourselves to do an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust by a public officer and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 97 of the Panel Code, Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.”

Count three read: “That you, Aishatu Bappa El-Nafaty whilst being a Deputy Director and Head, Training and Welfare officer of the National Assembly and now Director in the Public Affairs department in the directorate of Special Duties and Parliamentary Security (NASS) sometime between year 2017 and 2019, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja while being entrusted with dominion over the sum of N89,871,225.00( Eighty Nine Million, Eight hundred and seventy one thousand, two hundred and twenty five Naira only) transferred from the National Assembly Management Overhead Account No.000098216 and National Assembly General Services account No.000098223, domiciled in SunTrust Bank Plc to account No. 0000998281, belonging to you, domiciled in SunTrust bank Plc dishonestly misappropriated and converted to your own use the said sum and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 of the Panel Code, Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and Punishable Under section 312 of the same Law.”

Count 10 read: “That you Aishatu Bappa El-Nafaty whilst being a deputy Director and Head, Training and Welfare of staff of the National Assembly and now a Director in Public Affairs Department in the Directorate, Specials Duties and Parliamentary Security between 2017 and 2018, within the jurisdiction of the Federal Capital territory, Abuja, did with intent to defraud make false receipts: Fazh Integrated Services Ltd (FISL) showing evidence of payment received from you and with different amount/dates, purported to have been issued or emanated from Fazah Integrated Services Ltd, which you know to be false and with intent that it may be acted upon as genuine and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 362 of Panel Code, Cap 532(Laws of the federation of Nigeria) Abuja 1990 and punishable under Section 364 of the same.”

With the first defendant indicating interest to file a similar preliminary objection, the judge directed that she should do so within 48 hours. The judge further held that the prosecution should take a date to respond appropriately to the preliminary objection in the interest of justice and thereafter adjourned the matter till September 23, 2026, for hearing on the preliminary objection.