Alleged Terrorism Financing: EFCC Arraigns Bauchi Commissioner, Three Others Over $9.7m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, along with Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

They were arraigned on a ten-count charge bordering on conspiracy, conversion of public funds, and 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.

Prosecution counsel, Samuel Chime, informed the court that the matter was for arraignment, praying that the charge be read to the defendants.

“We have a ten-count charge dated 30 December 2025 and filed on the same day,” he said.

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One of the counts reads: “That you, Yakubu Adamu (being Commissioner for Finance, Bauchi State Government), sometime 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 thereby committed an 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.”

Another count reads: “That you, Yakubu Adamu (being Commissioner for Finance, Bauchi State Government); Sirajo Jaja (being Accountant-General of Bauchi State, now at large); Samaila Irmiya Liman (now at large); Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah; Aminu Mohammed Bose; and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed (all being civil servants and signatories to Bauchi State Government accounts and/or payment instruments), sometime between January 2024 and May 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire to provide funds in the aggregate sum of about Two Million, Three Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (USD 2,300,000) in cash for the benefit of Bello Bodejo and persons associated with him, pursuant to approvals granted by the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, having reasonable grounds to believe that the said funds would be used, in whole or in part, to finance a terrorist or terrorist group, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1) and punishable under Section 21(2)(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel Samuel Chime to ask the court for a trial date. “We will be asking for a date to enable us to open our case,” he said.

In response, the defendants’ counsel told the court that separate motions for bail had been filed on behalf of the defendants.

“We filed separate motions for bail in respect of the first, second, third, and fourth defendants, and all the motions were filed on the 30th day of December 2025,” he added.

Chime stated that the prosecution had been served and had already filed a joint counter-affidavit. “We have been served; we filed a joint counter-affidavit yesterday, my lord, 30 December 2025,” he said.

Justice Emeka Nwite thereafter adjourned the matter for ruling on the bail applications to 5 January 2026, while remanding the defendants at Kuje Correctional Centre.