The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, alongside Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The defendants face a ten-count charge relating to conspiracy, misappropriation of public funds, and alleged terrorism financing. The charges, filed on December 30, 2025, are brought under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, specifically Sections 2(1) and 19(1)(d), and punishable under Section 19(2)(b).
During the arraignment, prosecution counsel, Samuel Chime, informed the court that the matter was for arraignment and requested that the charges be read to the defendants.
One of the counts alleges that Yakubu Adamu, while serving as Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance in 2024, received $6,950,000 in cash outside of a financial institution, an act contrary to the Money Laundering Act.
Another count accuses Adamu, along with other civil servants and former state officials, including the now-at-large Sirajo Jaja and Samaila Irmiya Liman, of conspiring to provide approximately $2,300,000 in cash to Bello Bodejo and associates. The funds were allegedly approved by Governor Bala Abdulkadir Muhammed, despite reasonable grounds to believe they could be used to finance terrorism, a violation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
All defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges. Following the plea, Samuel Chime requested the court to set a trial date to commence proceedings.
Defence counsel stated that separate bail applications had been filed for each defendant on December 30, 2025. The prosecution confirmed receipt and filing of a joint counter-affidavit in response to the bail motions.
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Justice Nwite adjourned the case to January 5, 2026, for ruling on the bail applications, while ordering that the defendants remain in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the outcome.
