Alleged $9.7m Terrorism Financing: Judge Returns Bauchi Commissioner’s Case File for Reassignment

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja, On Tuesday, 13 January, 2026, gave an order returning the case file of the Bauchi Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, for reassignment to a substantive judge to handle the matter.

While giving the order for reassignment, Justice Nwite stated that the matter was returned to the Chief Judge because it was a vacation matter which needed to be reassigned to a substantive judge to handle.

Adamu was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alongside Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed on Wednesday, December 31, 2025 on a ten-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism financing contrary to Section 2(1) and Section 19(1) (d) and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

One of the counts reads; “That you Yakubu Adamu (being Commissioner for Finance, Bauchi state Government), sometimes in the year 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did receive cash payments in the sum of Six Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars( USD 6,950,000) otherwise than through a financial institution, and you and offence contrary to Section 2(1) and Section 19(1) (d) and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The court had on Monday, 5 January, 2026, turned down the bail application by the defendants and ordered their remand in Kuje Correctional Centre pending trial.

Counsel for the defendants, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, told the court he was ready for commencement of trial. The EFCC presented a new counsel, Adebayo Ojo, to handle the matter.

Giving the order for reassignment, Justice Nwite stated that the matter was returned to the Chief Judge because it was a vacation matter which needed to be reassigned by the Chief Judge to a substantive judge to handle.

Explaining further, Justice Nwite said that, “I have listened to the submission of the learned senior counsel for the defendants, it is not in doubt that this is a vacation matter which was returned to the registrar after the vacation for onward return to the Chief Judge for reassigning the case substantively”