A High Court in Bauchi State has arraigned the state’s former Accountant-General, Sa’idu Abubakar, on a 16-count charge, including diversion of public funds, fraud, forgery, criminal breach of trust, and abuse of office.
Court documents allege that Abubakar diverted N3 billion obtained as a loan from UBA Bank meant for the procurement of 5,000 motorcycles, which investigators say were never supplied.
The prosecution also claimed that the former official deceived the Bauchi State House of Assembly and the Office of the Secretary to the State Government by falsely presenting that certain loans had received official approval, leading to the use of unauthorised documents.
Further allegations include the diversion of an additional N4.65 billion and N3.36 billion from separate loan facilities secured from Polaris Bank and UBA, also intended for motorcycle procurement projects.
Other charges involve the use and possession of forged documents, creation of Irrevocable Standing Payment Orders without lawful authority, and criminal misappropriation of government funds.
Prosecutors said they would present documentary exhibits such as ISPO records, executive and assembly resolutions, government correspondence, witness statements, and bank account records. Witnesses expected to testify include government officials, finance personnel, and investigators.
Abubakar is scheduled to appear before the Bauchi State Financial Crimes Court to answer the charges.
