The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned a former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Dutsinma, Professor Armaya’u Hamisu Bichi, over an alleged ₦19.7 million bribery and fraud scheme in Katsina.
Bichi was docked on Thursday, February 5, 2026, before Katsina State High Court, presided over by Musa Danladi Abubakar, on a five-count charge bordering on bribery and abuse of office.
The former VC was arraigned alongside two alleged accomplices—Lawal Tukur Mani and Aliyu Lawal Jari—whom prosecutors said were used as conduits to receive illicit payments.
According to one of the charges, Bichi allegedly received ₦5 million in July 2023 from a contractor, Theophilus Ilechukwu of Goezek International Agency Nigeria Limited, as a kickback for the award of contracts for medical equipment supply and laboratory furnishing at the university.
The funds were allegedly paid into an account belonging to the third defendant, Aliyu Lawal Jari.
The EFCC told the court that the ₦19.7 million bribes were collected in tranches through the second and third defendants as inducements for various contracts awarded during Bichi’s tenure as Vice-Chancellor.
All three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, Salihu Sani, urged the court to fix a trial date to enable the EFCC assemble witnesses and prove its case. Defence lawyers, A. L. Yusuf and Raphael Henry, moved separate bail applications on behalf of their clients.
In his ruling, Justice Abubakar granted each defendant bail in the sum of ₦5 million with one surety in like sum, and adjourned the case to March 12, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
The arraignment marks another high-profile corruption case in Katsina, as the anti-graft agency intensifies its crackdown on alleged abuse of public office in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
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