‘You can’t go for Hajj’, court rejects Bauchi AG’s application

A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, rejected the application filed by Bauchi State Accountant General, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, for permission to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hajj and medical check-up. Justice O.A. Egwuatu ruled that Jaja could not travel for two weeks as requested after the prosecution argued that the […]

A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, rejected the application filed by Bauchi State Accountant General, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, for permission to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hajj and medical check-up.

Justice O.A. Egwuatu ruled that Jaja could not travel for two weeks as requested after the prosecution argued that the defendant is a flight risk, with other parties in the charge being at-large.

Daily Trust reports that Jaja is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside the first defendant Aliyu Abubakar, a bureau de change operator on an amended five-count charge.

Their offence, according to the charge sheet, borders on conversion of funds belonging to the Bauchi State Government, and money laundering to the tune of N1.6 billion.

At the Tuesday’s sitting, Jaja’s counsel, Chris Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, informed the court of his client’s application for leave of the court to enable him travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for two weeks to perform the Muslim pilgrimage and for medical check- up.

But in his response, prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, informed the court that the prosecution was in receipt of the application and has responded in objection to the application for him to travel out for any reason

“The defendant is a flight risk, with other parties in the charge being at-large. The prosecution opposed the application of the second defendant with a 10-paragraph affidavit filed on 13 March, 2026.

After all the arguments, the judge subsequently struck out the application and adjourned the matter till June 30, 2026 for continuation of trial.