BREAKING: Court Denies Bauchi Commissioner, Three Others Bail Over Alleged Terrorism Financing

The decision was delivered on Monday by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, along with three others arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged terrorism financing and money laundering offences, have been denied bail.

The decision was delivered on Monday by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the court scheduled January 5, 2026, for ruling on the bail applications filed by Adamu and the three co-defendants. They were arraigned by the EFCC over allegations of terrorism financing and money laundering.

The EFCC arraigned Adamu, Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, facing a ten-count charge relating to conspiracy, conversion of public funds, and alleged terrorism financing.

The defendants appeared before Justice Nwite on charges said to contravene Section 2(1) and Section 19(1)(d), 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 at the arraignment stage and requested that the charges be read to the defendants.

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

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.”

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 Illelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed (all being civil servants and signatories to Bauchi State Government Accounts and/or payment instruments), sometimes 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 Muhammed, 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” to all the charges when they were read in court.

Following their plea, Chime requested a trial date, saying, “We will be asking for a date to enable us to open our case.”

However, counsel to the defendants informed the court that the defence had filed separate bail applications on behalf of all the defendants.

Responding, the prosecution counsel confirmed receipt of the bail applications, stating, “We have been served, we filed a joint counter affidavit yesterday, my lord, 30 December 2025.”

After listening to submissions from both parties, Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to January 5, 2026, for ruling on the bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the court’s decision.

Last week Tuesday, SaharaReporters reported that the EFCC had arraigned Adamu before Justice Nwite over alleged money laundering offences involving ₦5,791,900,000.

Adamu was arraigned alongside Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Limited on a six-count charge bordering on money laundering, contrary to Section 21(a) and punishable under Section 21 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.