List of government officials facing fraud allegations in 2026

Former governors, senior federal directors, state accountants-general, and project coordinators were arraigned in 2026 over allegations of fraud, money laundering, conspiracy, forgery, and diversion of public funds across Nigeria’s public sector.

The cases cut across federal and state institutions, including the Kaduna State Government, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Federal Ministry of Works, Northeast Development Commission, Bauchi State Government, and the National Assembly.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) led the prosecutions.

Collectively, the allegations involve several billions of naira and hundreds of thousands of dollars in public funds, although the amounts remain claims by prosecutors that have yet to be tested in court.

The cases below are ranked according to the value of funds involved where publicly disclosed.

6. Adiobome Blessing Lere-Adams – Director, Federal Ministry of Works

• Arraigned: 16 February 2026 | Agency: ICPC
• Charges: Money laundering, corruption
• Amount: Not specified (multiple suspicious transfers traced)

The ICPC arraigned the director before Justice M.S. Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a six-count charge.

She is accused of receiving funds from a subordinate between 2022 and 2024, which were allegedly proceeds of corruption, and transferring parts of those funds to family-linked accounts. She pleaded not guilty and was granted bail.

5. Aishatu El-Nafaty, Mamud Abubakar, and Igba Joseph – National Assembly

• Attempted re-arraignment: 8 June 2026 | Agency: EFCC
• Charges: Conspiracy, forgery, criminal breach of trust, official corruption, illegal conversion of public funds
• Amount: N337 million

The EFCC sought to re-arraign three National Assembly officials before the FCT High Court in Abuja over alleged diversion of N337 million between 2017 and 2019.

The defendants include a Director of Public Affairs, a former Permanent Secretary, and a Deputy Director of Procurement.

The proceedings stalled after the defence filed a preliminary objection challenging parts of the amended charge. The case was adjourned for hearing on 23 September 2026.

4. Fidet Edetanle – Former Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC)

• Arraigned: February 2026 | Agency: EFCC
• Charges: Money laundering, abuse of office
• Amount: $385,000 and N165 million

The EFCC arraigned the former NRC managing director before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Lagos on a seven-count charge.

He is accused of transferring funds to foreign accounts in the Netherlands during and after his tenure, including $205,000 moved while still in office and $40,000 after leaving office.

He pleaded not guilty and was remanded pending consideration of bail.

3. Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai and Joel Adoga – Kaduna State

• Arraigned: 24 March 2026 | Agency: ICPC
• Charges: Abuse of office, money laundering, fraud
• Amount: N579.65 million and $1.1 million

The ICPC arraigned former Kaduna State governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai alongside Joel Adoga before Justice A.I. Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Kaduna Division, on a 10-count charge.

According to the Commission, El-Rufai allegedly received N289.8 million twice as severance allowance in September 2020 and January 2023, above the approved entitlement of about N20 million. He is also accused of receiving multiple dollar payments between 2016 and 2023 through a domiciliary account, including $320,800 allegedly paid in tranches by Adoga.

Adoga is separately accused of helping disguise the origin of a $10,000 deposit linked to the transactions. Both defendants pleaded not guilty and were remanded in ICPC custody.

The ICPC has also filed a separate charge against El-Rufai and Amadu Sule before a Kaduna State High Court over alleged abuse of office and fraud. The arraignment date has not yet been fixed.

2. Danjuma Mohammed and Prince Achem – North East Development Commission (NEDC)

• Arraigned: 27 January 2026 | Agency: EFCC
• Charges: Conspiracy, false pretence, forgery
• Amount: N2.28 billion

The EFCC arraigned former National Coordinator of the Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP), Danjuma Mohammed, alongside Prince Achem before Justice K.N. Ogbonnaya of the FCT High Court, Zuba, Abuja. A third defendant, Aminu Alhaji, remains at large.

The defendants allegedly obtained N2.28 billion from a businessman, claiming they could secure and execute NEDC contracts between 2022 and 2024.

They pleaded not guilty and were remanded in custody.

1. Sa’idu Abubakar – Former Accountant-General, Bauchi State Government

• Arraigned: June 2026 | Agency: EFCC
• Charges: Diversion of public funds, forgery, criminal breach of trust, abuse of office
• Amount: About N11 billion

The former accountant-general was arraigned before a Bauchi State High Court on a 16-count charge linked to loan facilities obtained for motorcycle procurement.

He is alleged to have diverted funds from UBA and Polaris Bank loans, including N3 billion earmarked for 5,000 motorcycles that were never supplied, as well as additional multi-billion-naira facilities.

Prosecutors also alleged he misrepresented loan approvals to the Bauchi State House of Assembly and issued unauthorized payment instructions.

What you should know

The 2026 arraignments show that anti-corruption enforcement is still active across both top political offices and the wider public service. While former governors and agency heads draw the most attention, many of the cases involve directors and project-level officials who handle day-to-day government spending and procurement.

Across the cases, the allegations follow a similar pattern, focusing on contract awards, loan facilities, severance payments, and weaknesses in internal financial controls within ministries, agencies, and state institutions.

All the defendants have denied the charges, and most of the cases are still at the arraignment or early trial stage. This means the figures and allegations reflect claims made by the ICPC and EFCC, not proven wrongdoing.

The final outcomes will be important in judging how effective Nigeria’s anti-corruption system is, and how well public funds are managed across federal and state institutions.