Civil servants arraigned in Yola over alleged diversion of W’Bank funds for Boko Haram damaged schools

Two civil servants, Mr. Popoona Samuel and Mr. Arama Gyandi, have been brought before a Federal High Court in Yola on allegations of misappropriating funds provided by the World Bank for the rebuilding of schools affected by Boko Haram attacks in Adamawa State. They were arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Wednesday before Justice Tijjani G. Ringin.

Demola Bakare, spokesperson for the ICPC, informed reporters on Friday that the accused face a four-count charge, which includes money laundering and unlawful retention of funds.

Both men previously served as officers in the State Education Investment Project under the Office of the Accountant General in Adamawa until 2020.

Investigations, Bakare stated, “revealed that the pair allegedly conspired to launder funds belonging to School-Based Management Committees overseeing local primary schools”.

Counts one and two of the charges specifically accuse the defendants of conspiracy and unlawful possession of funds. One charge read: “That you, Popoona Samuel (M) and Arama Davies Gyandi (M), sometime in the year 2020, at Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while serving as State Education Investment Project Officers in the Office of The Accountant General of Adamawa State, did conspire among yourselves to commit an offence of money laundering, to wit: you took possession of the total sum of N2,400,000.00 (Two Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) refunded by the School-Based Management Committee of Kwaja Primary School, Mubi South, which was paid into Zenith Bank Plc Account belonging to Popoona Samuel, out of which the sum of N1,000,000.00 (One Million Naira) was transferred to UBA Plc Account belonging to Arama Davies Gyandi, being part of the funds provided by the World Bank for the renovation of primary schools affected by insurgency in Adamawa state when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sums formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: corruption.”

Another part of the charge against Popoona Samuel stated: “That you, Popoona Samuel (M), sometime in the year 2020, at Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while serving as the State Education investment Project Officer in the Office of the Accountant General of Adamawa State, did take possession of the sum of N2,500,000.00 (Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) refunded by the School-Based Management Committee of Mutuku Primary School, Hong, from Unity Bank Plc Account and the sum of N2,400,000.00 (Two Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) refunded by the School-Based Management Committee of Kwaja Primary School, Mubi South, into your Zenith Bank Plc Account being part of the funds provided by the World Bank for the renovation of primary schools affected by insurgency in Adamawa State, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sums formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: corruption.”

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Both defendants entered a plea of not guilty to all charges. Following their plea, ICPC counsel T.S. Iorngee requested a trial date, while defense lawyer S.J. Wugira applied for bail on behalf of his clients.

The court subsequently granted bail under stringent conditions. Each defendant was required to provide a ₦5 million bond and one surety of equal value.

The surety must be either a federal or Adamawa State public servant on Grade Level 14 and above, a traditional ruler of no less than district head status, or a company director registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission with a share capital of at least ₦10 million.

Additional bail requirements included two passport photos, valid identification, proof of residence, a letter of recommendation from the defendants’ lawyer, utility bills, and court-verified address confirmation.

The matter has been adjourned to October 22, 2025, when the trial is scheduled to commence.