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Abuja, Nigeria — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced today that Mustapha Usman, the first prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former House of Representatives member Aliyu Ibrahim Gebi, told the Federal High Court how the defendant issued 14 bounced cheques totaling N125.5 million in repayment of a loan.
Usman gave evidence on Monday, January 19, 2026, before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal High Court in Abuja. He explained that he met Gebi through Hajiya Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, then a sitting member of the House, who facilitated a N125 million loan to Gebi in 2011. According to Usman, Gebi had signed a written undertaking to repay the loan within 60 days, but failed to honour the agreement when the deadline passed. The defendant subsequently gave him 14 cheques, some from his personal account and others from Craft Technology Ltd, all made out in favour of Usman’s company, Musty Petroleum Limited. An additional N500,000 was provided to cover part of Gebi’s travel expenses to the United States.
The witness told the court that when he presented the cheques at UBA, they all bounced because the accounts had insufficient funds. After filing a petition with the EFCC, Gebi began making partial repayments, starting with N20 million and N34 million, with the final N12 million credited approximately two weeks ago. During a previous court session on December 18, 2025, Gebi paid the remaining N10.5 million after it was noted that a balance was still outstanding.
Documents related to the case, including the loan undertaking, the cheques, and the EFCC petition, were tendered and admitted as evidence in court. Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the trial until January 21, 2026 for continuation.
Gebi was first arraigned on January 29, 2013, on a 13-count charge before Justice Abba Mohammed of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. Following Justice Mohammed’s elevation to the Court of Appeal, the case was reassigned to Justice Onwuegbuzie.
