Alleged Terrorism Financing: Bauchi Finance Commissioner Gets N100m Bail

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Justice Mohammed Umar of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, admitted the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, to bail in the sum of N100 million.

Also admitted to bail in the same sum were Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed, standing trial on alleged terrorism financing to the tune of $9.7 million.

The judge in his ruling on the bail applications of the defendants held they were able to present sufficient materials before the court for it to exercise its discretion in their favour judicially and judiciously.

As part of conditions attached to the bail, the defendants were ordered to produce two sureties each who must be a permanent secretary and a director in the civil service.

They were also ordered to deposit their international passports with the court registry, and cannot travel without the court’s permission.

Meanwhile, the judge held that the defendants must report to the Department of State Services (DSS’) office in Bauchi State every Monday until the case is determined.

He adjourned the matter until February 26 for commencement of trial.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had preferred a 10-count terrorism financing and money laundering charge against Adamu and three others, said to be top Bauchi State civil servants.

Although they were earlier denied bail before Justice Emeka Nwite, who worked as vacation judge in December, the defendants were however, re-arraigned before Justice Umar on January 16 and their bail application moved after the case was re-assigned to the new judge.

Justice Umar then adjourned the matter until January 21 for ruling on their bail application following their plea of not guilty.

The defendants, through their lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, informed the court in their latest bail application, that though a sister court earlier refused their bail plea, there were new and additional facts upon which the instant application was brought.

Uche said the sister court would have granted their bail if the new facts were brought to its notice.

The lawyer argued that Bello Bodejo, the President of Miyettti Allah Kautal Hore, whom the EFCC named in the nine counts of the 10 counts filed against his clients, was never convicted for any terrorism offence by any competent court in the country.

He argued that though Bodejo was charged by the federal government for terrorism-related offences in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/101/2024, the charge was later withdrawn by the government and the court dismissed it on May, 29, 2024.

Besides, Uche argued there was no proscription order in the Federal Government’s Official Gazette designating either Bodejo or his organisation as a terrorist or terrorist organisation, backing his argument with Section 48(1) of Terrorism Prevention Act, 2022.

According to him, since Bello Bodejo has not been shown by the prosecution as a terrorist, there is no basis for the defendants to continue to languish in detention, hence the need for the bail application.

He further argued that the court is empowered by law to grant bail, citing relevant sections of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, to back his submission.

Adamu, who is a former manager of a branch of Polaris Bank Plc in Bauchi State, and others were earlier arraigned on December 31, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to the counts read to them before Justice Nwite.

The judge, on January 5, declined to grant their bail application on the grounds that the offences with which they were charged with, threatens national security and public safety.

Justice Nwite, who ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kuje Correctional Center until the determination of the case, fixed January 13 for commencement of trial.

However, on January 13, Justice Nwite returned the case file back to the Chief Judge (CJ) for reassignment after the vacation had ended.