By our reporter
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has declared a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Adamu Aliyu, wanted over an alleged fraud involving a fake Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) contract worth ₦73.6 million.
The declaration follows a request by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which accused the lawmaker of defrauding a businessman under the guise of facilitating a TETFund contract at the University of Jos.
According to court documents, Aliyu allegedly promised a businessman, Mohammed Jidda, a contract worth ₦850 million for the construction of an indoor sports complex at the university. In pursuit of the deal, Jidda, through his company Mohiba Investment Ltd, transferred a total of ₦73.6 million to Aliyu and another party involved in the transaction.
The ICPC revealed that the payment was made in three parts: ₦47.8 million into Aliyu’s personal GTBank account, ₦22.4 million into a company account linked to one Saad Abubakar (Imanal Concept Ltd), and ₦3.2 million paid in cash to Aliyu.
Jidda was also given what appeared to be a contract award letter from the University of Jos. However, the university later confirmed that no such contract existed and the letter was a forgery.
The ICPC stated that despite several attempts to invite Aliyu for questioning, he failed to respond. Formal letters were sent through the Clerk of the Plateau State House of Assembly, and multiple follow-ups were made via WhatsApp. The commission also told the court it had received intelligence suggesting that Aliyu was planning to flee the country.
In response, Justice Emeka Nwite granted the commission’s request to declare Aliyu wanted. The court also gave permission for his details to be published in national newspapers and on social media platforms. Security agencies and members of the public have been authorized to arrest him and hand him over to law enforcement authorities.
Aliyu, in his defence, denied any criminal conduct. He said the issue was a civil disagreement over a failed contract deal and not a case of fraud. He claimed to have refunded ₦45 million to the complainant’s company and argued that he merely delivered the disputed contract documents, which he said were provided by a third party.
Despite his claims, the court maintained that there was a criminal case to answer. The ICPC has filed a 32-count charge against Aliyu, including fraud, conspiracy, cheating, and forgery.
The lawmaker is now considered a fugitive, and efforts to bring him to justice are ongoing. The case continues to generate public interest, especially given the growing concerns about corruption within Nigeria’s political class.
