EFCC Tackles Bala Mohammed over Claims Politicians Influencing Investigations, Prosecution 

·Says 2016 money laundering trial only halted by immunity

·Court admits finance commissioner, Yakubu Adamu to N500m bail

·FCT minister taunts Bauchi governor, says Mohammed narrowly escaped imprisonment

Alex Enumah in Abuja and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has berated the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, for saying politicians, especially political opponents are the ones dictating to the anti-graft agency, persons to be investigated and prosecuted over corruption allegations.

This was as Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday granted bail to the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum.

Also, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has slammed the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Mohammed, for accusing him of brain behind the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC) recent charges against his finance commissioner.

The commission in a statement issued yesterday said it viewed “with great displeasure the claims of Bauchi State Governor, His Excellency, Bala Mohammed about the Commission being used by political opponents, particularly the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to persecute him and his aides.”

While describing the claims as wild and far-fetched, the EFCC reiterated that it is an independent agency created to fight economic and financial crimes, adding that the commission is non-partisan and discharges its mandate without affection or ill will.

“The attempt to portray it as a pliable agency that panders to the demands of certain political interests is therefore mischievous and condemnable.

“It is derogatory for Mohammed to ascribe the commission’s activities in Bauchi State to the influence of Mr. Wike. It is important to state that no political office holder is in a position to influence the investigative activities of the Commission,” the statement read in part.

It added that, “If Bala Mohammed wants to be honest, he would have revealed to Nigerians that he was standing trial for money laundering at the time he won election as governor of Bauchi State. Only the constitutional Immunity from prosecution, which his current office attracts, has put that case in abeyance. Who also influenced the commission to investigate him in 2016 and charge him to court?

Arguing further, the anti-graft agency pointed out that in the instant case, the facts against some officials of Bauchi State government are already placed before the court and advised members of the public to access the charges and decide for themselves whether the case is borne out of vendetta or is a product of painstaking investigation by the EFCC.

“They will also understand why Bala Mohammed as the approving authority in Bauchi State is mentioned in the charge.

“Crying wolf over issues of terrorism financing is like clutching at straws. The commission did not invent the law, and where there are offences punishable by extant laws, EFCC will be failing in its responsibility to do otherwise.

“Public accountability should be the priority of politicians of all persuasions. It is the height of hypocrisy for opposition politicians to be quick to scream persecution each time an opposition figure is called to account but are mute when a member of the ruling party faces the same ordeal. Recently the Commission arraigned a ranking member of the ruling party in court for alleged corruption, and not a whimper of persecution was heard from any of the political divide.

“Governor Mohammed should face the governance of Bauchi State and allow the EFCC focus more on cleaning the financial space of the nation, in line with its assigned mandate,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, Adamu and a firm, Ayab Agro Products were last week arraigned on six-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering to the tune of N4.6 billion.

They pleaded not guilty to the charge, following which their lawyer, Chief Goddy Uche, SAN, moved and argued their bail applications.

Although, EFCC’s lawyer, Samuel Chime, had opposed the bail on grounds of the gravity of the charge, Justice Nwite however admitted the defendant to bail, adding that there’s no evidence to show that the defendant would not attend his trial.

As part of the conditions for the bail, the defendant is to produce two sureties in like sum, which must own landed properties within Asokoro, Maitama and Gwarimpa areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The sureties in addition are to provide affidavit of means alongside verifiable documents of the landed properties which must be deposited with the Registrar of the court.

The defendant was also ordered to deposit his international passport with the court and should not travel without the court’s permission.

Pending the perfection of the bail, Nwite ordered that the defendant remain in the custody of the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.

Nwite, although recognising that the court was a vacation court, fixed January 20, for commencement of trial, in the event the case was returned to him.

Adamu, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/694/2025, was alleged to have conspired with others to commit the offence, sometime between June 2023 to December 2023.

According to the EFCC, the commissioner and others allegedly facilitated and agreed to the conversion, transfer, concealment and use of funds in the sum of about N4,650,000,000.00, availed by Polaris Bank under the guise of financing the supply of motorcycles to Bauchi State Government through Emmanuel Asomugha General Enterprises.

“The motorcycles were not supplied, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(a) and punishable under Section 21 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” the count read in part.

In count six Adamu, and two others were accused of retaining and causing the transfer of proceeds of an unlawful act to nominees and third parties, by causing parts of the funds connected with the Polaris Bank facility to be paid and circulated through third-party accounts sometime in 2023.

The charge further alleged that the transfer included the one made through I.S. Makayye Investment Resources Ltd and the transfer of N165, 900,000.00 to Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd.

While the funds were said to have formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act, the alleged offence is said to run contrary to Section 20(a) and punishable under Section 20 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Reacting to Mohammed’s accusation, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Wike, during a thank-you visit to Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area in Rivers State, yesterday stated that the Bauchi governor would have been in prison but for immunity because of his position.

Mohammed had in a live programme on a national television, called Wike a “terrorist”, insisting that he masterminded the EFFC invasion in the government, alleging that the minister was controlling institutions, bribing people, and selling lands to carry out operations.

The former Rivers State governor, also dismissed involvement in what Mohammed was accusing him of, urged him (Bauchi governor) to stop the blame and focus on the issue that warranted the charges by the EFCC.

He said, “The governor of Bauchi State said I am the one who masterminded the EFCC charges against his commissioner. In 2016 EFCC prosecuted him in court, he got luck he is not in prison today because of immunity.

“How come now you have a recent problem, you are now saying it was me, that I am masterminding problem in your state. This Wike too get power,” Wike mocked Mohammed.