The Federal High Court in Lagos will on May 8, 2026, rule on a no-case submission filed by Muazu Aliyu, former Governor of Niger State, in his ongoing trial over an alleged N1.5 billion ecological fund fraud.
The decision, to be delivered by Yeliam Bogoro, (Justice) will determine whether Aliyu and his co-defendant, Umar Nasko,, a former Commissioner for Environment, Parks, Gardens and Forest Resources, will be required to open their defence or be discharged in the eight-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
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Bogoro fixed the date on Thursday after hearing the adoption of final written addresses on the no-case submissions filed by Aliyu and his co-defendant.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting the duo on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and the alleged conversion of ecological funds amounting to N1,509,791,200.
Faruk Abdallah, informed the court that the anti-graft agency had filed its response to the defendants’ no-case submissions on February 5, 2026. He recalled that the defendants were first arraigned on April 28, 2017, on charges related to conspiracy and money laundering.
Abdallah told the court that the prosecution, in a bid to establish its case, called 11 witnesses and tendered several documentary exhibits before closing its case.
Following the close of the prosecution’s case, both defendants opted to file no-case submissions, contending that the evidence presented was insufficient to warrant them entering a defence.
Counsel to the first defendant, Y. Kalamu, adopted Aliyu’s written no-case submission dated December 18, 2025, urging the court to uphold it and discharge his client.
Similarly, Mamman Osuman, counsel to the second defendant, adopted Nasko’s no-case submission filed on November 23, 2025, and prayed the court to dismiss the charges.
In response, the prosecution maintained that it had established a prima facie case against the defendants and urged the court to dismiss the no-case submissions, arguing that sufficient evidence had been led to require the defendants to open their defence.
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After listening to the parties, Bogoro adjourned the matter to May 8, 2026, for ruling on whether the defendants have a case to answer.
