A suspected Hajj pilgrimage fraudster, Lawal Babale Musa, has landed before an Oyo State High Court in Ibadan over an alleged N56.49 million scam that reportedly left several intending pilgrims stranded.
Lawal Babale Musa was arraigned by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Olusola Adetujoye on a 57-count charge bordering on alleged stealing, forgery and the use of fake documents.
The anti-graft agency accused the defendant of collecting millions of naira from prospective pilgrims with promises of securing their slots for the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage through the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, but allegedly diverted the funds for his personal benefit.
According to the EFCC, Musa allegedly received a total of N56,491,000 from Ibrahim Shuaibu, who had gathered money from several associates in Oke-Ogun, Oyo State, including cattle breeders and livestock traders hoping to embark on the religious journey.
The commission told the court that Musa allegedly presented himself as someone with links to the Kaduna State Government and assured the victims that he could process their Hajj arrangements.
However, the EFCC claimed that after receiving the funds, Musa failed to fulfil his promise, leaving the intending pilgrims unable to travel for the 2023 Hajj.
The charges against him also include allegations that he forged receipts purportedly issued by the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency in a bid to convince victims that their travel arrangements had been completed.
One of the counts alleged that Musa forged an official receipt belonging to the agency in the name of Jibril Adamu, intending that the document would be accepted as genuine.
Another charge accused him of presenting a fake receipt to a victim as an authentic document.
When the charges were read to him, Musa pleaded not guilty to all allegations.
EFCC counsel, Bashir Shamsuddeen, asked the court to remand the defendant in custody and fix a date for trial, while his lawyer, Kehinde Adegbola, informed the court that a bail application had already been filed.
Justice Adetujoye subsequently adjourned the case until August 17, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and ordered that Musa be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre.
The EFCC said the case was part of its continued crackdown on individuals accused of exploiting unsuspecting members of the public through fraudulent claims and forged official documents.
The matter is expected to continue after the court determines Musa’s bail request.
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