As part of its efforts in fighting corruption, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned nine civil servants alleged to have engaged in corrupt practices.

The civil servants, it was learnt, are staff of the Federal Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

Justice Peter Kekemeke of an Abuja High Court ordered that they be remanded in prison custody pending the hearing and determination of their bail applications.

He gave the ruling following the arraignment of the suspects who pleaded not guilty to the sixteen count charge of fraud levelled against them by the anti-graft agency.

The defendants who are accused of defrauding the Federal Government through the operation of fictitious accounts between 2009 and 2015 are Usman Dayo, Osuntope Opeyemi, Johnson Adedokun, Robert Ojeifo and Oyebade Ayodeji.

Others are Florence Dada, Olaolu Dada, Blessing Ejeh and Aderibigbe Taiwo.

Both the prosecutor and the defence lawyer announce their preparedness to proceed to trial.