Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an order on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, directing the return of the case file concerning the Bauchi Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, for reassignment to a substantive judge.
In his order for reassignment, Justice Nwite explained that the case was initially categorised as a vacation matter and required reassignment to a substantive judge for proper handling.
Adamu was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed on Wednesday, 31 December 2025, facing ten counts related to alleged terrorism financing, in contravention of Section 2(1) and Section 19(1)(d), and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
One of the charges states: “That you, Yakubu Adamu (as Commissioner for Finance of the Bauchi State Government), on occasions in 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did receive cash payments totalling Six Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars (USD 6,950,000) otherwise than through a financial institution, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 2(1) and Section 19(1)(d) and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On Monday, 5 January 2026, the court rejected the bail applications from the defendants and ordered their remand in Kuje Correctional Centre pending trial. Counsel for the defendants, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, announced his readiness to commence the trial, while the EFCC introduced a new counsel, Adebayo Ojo, to represent them.
In his order for reassignment, Justice Nwite reiterated that the case was returned to the Chief Judge as it was categorised as a vacation matter requiring reassignment to a substantive judge.
Justice Nwite further clarified, “I have considered the submission of the learned senior counsel for the defendants. It is clear that this is a vacation matter which was returned to the registrar post-vacation for onward submission to the Chief Judge for substantive reassignment.”
