Court Releases Bauchi Finance Commissioner on ₦100m Bail Over Alleged Terrorism Financing
- The courtbail has granted the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and three co-defendants ₦100 million bail each in an alleged $9.7 million terrorism financing case
- The court imposed strict conditions, including two senior civil servant sureties and weekly reporting to the DSS office in Bauchi
- The defendants pleaded not guilty to the 10-count charge filed by the EFCC, while the trial has been adjourned to February 26
Legit.ng's Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award-winning journalist with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and three other defendants standing trial over alleged terrorism financing and money laundering to the tune of $9.7 million.
Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling delivered on Tuesday, held that the defendants had placed sufficient materials before the court to warrant the exercise of judicial discretion in their favour.
Source: Twitter
According to Channels TV, the judge granted each of the defendants bail in the sum of ₦100 million, with two sureties each.
He ruled that the sureties must be serving permanent secretaries or directors in the civil service and must provide verifiable documentation.
Justice Umar further ordered the defendants to deposit their international passports with the court registry and directed them to report every Monday to the Department of State Services (DSS) office in Bauchi State until the determination of the case.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to February 26, 2026, for the commencement of the trial.
EFCC files terrorism financing charges
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 10-count charge against Adamu and three other Bauchi State officials, accusing them of terrorism financing and money laundering.
The co-defendants are Balarabe Ilelah, Aminu Bose, and Kabiru Mohammed, all described by the prosecution as top civil servants in the Bauchi State government.
The defendants were first arraigned on December 31, 2025, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, where they pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Why bail was initially denied
Justice Nwite had earlier refused their bail applications, citing the gravity of the alleged offences and their potential threat to national security and public safety.
He ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of the case and fixed January 13 for trial.
However, the trial could not proceed as scheduled after Justice Nwite returned the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment following the end of the court’s vacation.
Defendants present fresh facts in renewed bail request
Following the reassignment of the case to Justice Mohammed Umar, the defendants were re-arraigned on January 16, after which their counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), filed a fresh bail application.
Uche argued that new and additional facts had emerged since the earlier refusal of bail and that these facts were not placed before the previous court.
He told the court that Bello Bodejo, the President of Miyetti Allah, who was central to the prosecution’s allegations, had never been convicted of terrorism by any court of competent jurisdiction.
Source: Twitter
According to the defence, although Bodejo was once charged with terrorism-related offences, the Federal Government later withdrew the charges, leading to their dismissal by the court on May 29, 2024.
Uche further argued that neither Bodejo nor his organisation had been proscribed as a terrorist entity by the Federal Government, noting that no such designation existed in the official gazette as required under Section 48(1) of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2022.
Court weighs arguments, grants bail
In his ruling, Justice Umar agreed that the defendants were entitled to bail, noting that the law presumes an accused person innocent until proven guilty.
He held that the defence had successfully shown that bail could be granted under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, while imposing conditions sufficient to ensure the defendants’ availability for trial.
The court, however, stressed that the bail conditions were deliberately strict due to the nature of the allegations.
What happens next
With bail granted, the defendants are expected to comply fully with the court’s conditions as the EFCC prepares to open its case when trial begins on February 26.
The prosecution maintains that it will present evidence to substantiate the terrorism financing and money laundering charges, while the defendants continue to deny any wrongdoing.
The case has continued to attract public attention due to its implications for national security and the involvement of senior government officials.
Governor Bala reacts to terrorism financing claims
Legit.ng earlier reported that Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has got Nigerians talking after claiming that he cannot be questioned now, even if he were a terrorist financier.
The governor made the claim while speaking in an interview amid the prosecution of his commissioner for finance by the EFCC.
Governor Bala accused the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and other unnamed persons within the federal government of being behind the petition, prosecution, and said it was to pressure him to join the APC.
Source: Legit.ng
