Adamu Aliyu
By Our Reporter
A member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Adamu Aliyu, has surrenderd to the anti-graft agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after he was declared wanted by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over allegations that he defrauded a businessman of ₦73.6 million through a bogus Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) contract.
Recall that Justice Emeka Nwite had issued the order after considering an application filed by the ICPC.
According to court filings, the matter originated from a petition by businessman Mohammed Jidda. He alleged that Aliyu, who represents Jos North-North constituency, offered to help him secure an ₦850 million TETFund contract at the University of Jos.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding allegedly signed by both parties, Jidda agreed to pay ₦73.6 million upfront once a contract award letter was issued. Another ₦52 million was to go to Imanal Concept Ltd., a company owned by Saad Abubakar, said to be the facilitator of the deal.
Investigators said Aliyu later gave Jidda a purported contract award letter for a ₦500 million indoor sports hall project under TETFund. On the strength of the letter, Jidda paid money into two accounts provided by Aliyu his personal Guaranty Trust Bank account and Imanal Concept Ltd.’s Zenith Bank account.
Bank records reportedly show that ₦47.8 million went into Aliyu’s account, ₦22.4 million into Imanal Concept’s account, and another ₦3.2 million directly to Aliyu. However, when Jidda approached the University of Jos to commence documentation, the institution denied any knowledge of the contract. It later confirmed to the ICPC in writing that the award letter was forged.
The ICPC told the court that Aliyu ignored repeated invitations to explain his role, even though messages were sent through the Clerk of the Plateau Assembly and to his WhatsApp number, which he acknowledged. The commission added it had intelligence suggesting Aliyu planned to flee the country to evade prosecution.
Consequently, Justice Nwite granted the ICPC’s request, issuing a bench warrant for Aliyu’s arrest and authorising the commission to publish a “wanted person” notice in national newspapers, on social media and other platforms. The court also empowered security agencies including the police and private citizens to arrest him and hand him over to the ICPC to face a 32-count charge bordering on fraud, forgery and diversion of funds.
