The alleged $9.7 million terrorism financing case against Yakubu Adamu, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, has been returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja for reassignment to a substantive trial judge.
According to The Guardian, Justice Emeka Nwite ruled today that the case file be sent to Chief Judge Justice John Tsoho, stating that the case was handled during the court’s holiday and that it now needs to be reassigned in accordance with court protocol.
Justice Nwite ruled that the case could not continue before him since it was a vacation matter and that it needed to be sent to a substantive judge for trial.
“This is a vacation matter which was returned to the registrar after the vacation for onward transmission to the Chief Judge for reassigning the case substantively,” the judge said.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a 10-count indictment against Yakubu Adamu, Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed that includes allegations of money laundering and terrorism funding.
On Wednesday, December 31, 2025, the defendants were charged with violating Sections 2(1) and 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and were subject to punishment under Section 19(2)(b).
One of the counts alleged that Adamu, while serving as Commissioner for Finance of the Bauchi State Government, received $6.95 million in cash in 2024, outside the banking system, an act the prosecution described as unlawful under the relevant money laundering laws.
To the charges, each defendant entered a not guilty plea.
On Monday, January 5, 2026, the court denied their requests for bail and mandated that they be placed under remand at the Kuje Correctional Center until their trial could begin.
The EFCC named Adebayo Ojo as its new prosecutor in the case, and Chief Chris Uche, SAN, the defendants’ attorney, told the court that the defense was prepared to move forward with the trial during the resumed proceedings.
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