Ex-Foreign Affairs Director, Goka Arraigned Over Alleged ₦5 Million Fraud

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged a former Deputy Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Christiana Goka, with the alleged misappropriation of public funds totaling ₦5,398,656.

Naija News reports that Goka, who previously held the position of Head of the Department of Research Monitoring Information System at the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa, appeared before Justice J.A. Aina at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Kwali, Abuja, facing five counts related to fund misappropriation and the submission of false statements.

As stated by ICPC spokesman Ademola Bakare, Goka is accused of misappropriating ₦5,164,656 from funds designated for a failed management retreat of the ministry that was scheduled to take place in Dutse, Jigawa State, in 2017.

Bakare noted that her actions violate Section 25(1)(a) and are subject to penalties under Section 25(1)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

One of the charges reads, “That you, Mrs. Christiana Goka ‘F’, sometime in 2017 or thereabout, being a public officer serving as the Deputy Director and Head of the Department of Research Monitoring Information System at the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Garki, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did confer a corrupt advantage upon yourself in the sum of ₦5,164,656.00, which was part of the larger sum of ₦5,398,656.00 meant for the Botched Management Retreat at Dutse, Jigawa State in 2017, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

“That you, Mrs. Christiana Goka ‘F’, sometimes in 2017 or thereabout, being a public officer serving-as the Deputy Director and Head of Department Research Monitoring-Information System in the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa , Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Garki Abuja Federal Capital Territory, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did make a statement on 18/02/22 to Sado Danjuma, an officer of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission while in the course of exercising his duties of investigation, in which you made a statement to wit – that the sum of ₦1,000,000.00 returned to you in cash by one Bassey Ikpeme on the instruction of the then Director General of DTCA, Ambassador Abduljalil Suleiman (now late) was false and never happened, which statement to your knowledge is false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 25(1)(a) and punishable under Section 25(1)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.”

Bakare observed that at the start of the trial on March 27, 2025, the prosecution attorney, David Nwaze, presented two witnesses who provided their testimonies and underwent cross-examination.

He stated that the court, having earlier approved bail for the Defendant under the same conditions as her administrative bail, permitted her to continue under those terms after she entered a plea of not guilty to all charges upon their presentation.

“As part of the bail conditions, the Defendant must provide a surety who is employed in the Federal Republic of Nigeria at Grade Level 15 or above and resides in Abuja.

“The surety is required to submit a letter of appointment, proof of last promotion, an identity card, and a passport photograph.

“Justice J.A. Aina subsequently adjourned the case,” the statement added.