The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned Lawal Babale Musa before Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan over an alleged ₦56.491 million Hajj pilgrimage fraud. The EFCC said Musa faces a 57-count charge involving forgery, uttering of documents and stealing.

According to the commission, the alleged offences occurred between Nov. 2, 2022, and July 22, 2024, in Ibadan. Prosecutors alleged that Musa obtained the money from Ibrahim Shuaibu, who had collected it from 10 cattle breeders and rearers in Oke-Ogun, after Musa claimed he could facilitate their participation in the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage through the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency.

The EFCC further alleged that Musa converted the money for his personal use and forged Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency receipts, including receipt number 0013041 issued in the name of Jibril Adamu. Another allegation involved uttering receipt number 012654 to Adamu, purportedly as a genuine document. None of the victims was able to travel to Saudi Arabia for the 2023 Hajj after Musa allegedly failed to fulfil his promise.

Musa pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecuting counsel Bashir Shamsuddeen requested a trial date and the defendant’s remand, while his lawyer, Kehinde Adegbola, asked the court to grant him bail on liberal terms. Justice Adetujoye remanded Musa at Agodi Correctional Centre and adjourned the case to Aug. 17, 2026, for hearing of the bail application.