The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned two civil servants, Popoona Samuel and Arama Davies Gyandi, for allegedly diverting World Bank funds meant for the renovation of insurgency-affected primary schools in Adamawa State.
The duo were brought before the Federal High Court in Yola on Wednesday on a four-count charge bordering on money laundering and unlawful conversion of public funds.
ICPC Spokesman, Mr Demola Bakare, disclosed this on Friday in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), noting that the accused were officers under the State Education Investment Project in the Office of the Accountant General of Adamawa State until 2020.
According to the charge sheet, the accused allegedly conspired to launder and convert a total sum of ₦4.9 million belonging to School-Based Management Committees of Kwaja Primary School, Mubi South, and Mutuku Primary School, Hong.
One of the charges read: “That you, Popoona Samuel and Arama Davies Gyandi, sometime in 2020, while serving as State Education Investment Project Officers, conspired to take possession of the sum of ₦2,400,000 refunded by the School-Based Management Committee of Kwaja Primary School, which was paid into a Zenith Bank account belonging to Popoona Samuel. Out of the sum, ₦1,000,000 was transferred to a UBA account belonging to Arama Davies Gyandi.”
Another count revealed that Samuel allegedly received ₦2,500,000 refunded by Mutuku Primary School’s committee and ₦2,400,000 from Kwaja Primary School into his personal bank account, both being part of funds provided by the World Bank for school reconstruction efforts in insurgency-hit areas.
Bakare said the defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Following their pleas, ICPC counsel, Mr T.S. Iorngee, applied for a trial date, while the defence counsel, Mr S.J. Wugira, moved a bail application.
Justice Tijjani G. Ringin granted the defendants bail in the sum of ₦5 million each, with one surety in like sum. The surety must be either a public servant of not less than Grade Level 14, a traditional ruler of district head rank or higher, or a director of a registered company with a minimum share capital of ₦10 million.
Other bail conditions include submission of passport photographs, valid means of identification, utility bills, a letter of recommendation from their counsel, affidavit of means, and verification of the surety’s residence by both the court and ICPC.
The court adjourned the case to Oct. 22, 2025, for commencement of trial.
