A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has declared Hon. Adamu Aliyu, a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, wanted over his alleged involvement in a ₦73.6 million fraudulent TETFund contract deal.
The court’s decision followed an application by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after Aliyu repeatedly failed to respond to official summons.
How the Alleged Fraud Happened
According to court documents, a businessman, Mohammed Jidda, petitioned the ICPC after he allegedly entered into a deal with the lawmaker. Jidda claimed that Aliyu promised to secure him an ₦850 million TETFund contract at the University of Jos. To formalize the agreement, both parties reportedly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
However, instead of a genuine contract, Jidda allegedly received a forged award letter for a ₦500 million indoor sports hall project. Believing it was authentic, he made an upfront payment of ₦73.6 million—with funds deposited into Aliyu’s personal GTBank account and the account of Imanal Concept Ltd, owned by Saad Abubakar, said to be involved in the deal.
ICPC Findings
Investigations revealed:
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₦47.8 million was deposited directly into Aliyu’s account.
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₦22.4 million went into Imanal Concept Ltd’s account.
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₦3.2 million was paid directly to Aliyu in cash.
The University of Jos later confirmed that the contract letter was forged and no such project was awarded.
Despite multiple summons sent through official channels and WhatsApp, the lawmaker allegedly ignored ICPC’s invitations. The agency also disclosed that credible intelligence suggested Aliyu was planning to flee the country.
Court Ruling
Justice Emeka Nwite ruled in favor of ICPC’s application and declared Aliyu wanted. The court ordered that his name and identity be published in national newspapers and social media, while also empowering security agencies and private citizens to arrest him and hand him over to the Commission.
Aliyu is expected to face a 32-count charge bordering on fraud, forgery, and diversion of funds.
Lawmaker’s Response
Reacting to the development, Aliyu denied the allegations, insisting that the matter was not criminal but a civil dispute involving consultancy services. He further claimed to have refunded ₦45 million to Jidda’s company, Mohiba Investment Ltd, and argued that he never forged the contract letter but only “delivered” the document.
Aliyu’s legal team also stated that they had written to the ICPC, noting that the case was already pending before a civil court.
