Judge Returns Bauchi Commissioner’s Terrorism Financing Case File

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday returned the case file of Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, to the Chief Judge for reassignment, following the court’s resumption from its vacation.

Adamu is facing trial alongside three other Bauchi State civil servants on a 10-count charge of alleged terrorism financing and money laundering, brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The defendants were arraigned on December 31, 2025, and all pleaded not guilty.

On January 5, Justice Nwite denied their bail applications, citing the national security and public safety implications of the offences, and ordered their remand at Kuje Correctional Centre.

The judge had fixed January 13 for the trial to commence and directed that it be fast-tracked.

However, when the case was called on Tuesday, no lawyer appeared for the prosecution.

Defence counsel, Chris Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, informed the court that the defendants had been produced from Kuje Prison as scheduled, and that he and other defence lawyers were present.

Uche added that he had met Adebayo Ojo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who had been briefed as the new counsel for the EFCC, and that Ojo’s junior lawyers were expected in court.

When Justice Nwite asked if any of Ojo’s juniors were present, there was no response. Noting that the case was being handled during the vacation, the judge ordered that the case file be returned to the court registry for reassignment by the Chief Judge.

Adamu, a former branch manager of Polaris Bank in Bauchi, is the first defendant in the suit. The other defendants are Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed.

The EFCC filed the charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/705/2025, on December 30, 2025.

The first count alleges that Adamu, alongside the Bauchi State Accountant-General, Sirajo Jaja, and Samaila Irmiya Liman (both currently at large) as well as Ilelah, Bose, and Mohammed, conspired between January and May 2024 to provide $2.3min cash to Bello Bodejo and associates.

The EFCC claims the funds were used fully or partly to finance a terrorist group, allegedly under approvals from Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed. The offence is said to contravene Section 26(1) and is punishable under Section 21(2)(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.